Stiles' English, and Totally Accurate Bestiary
by Sageandmilk
Summary: The hard part was going to be writing the rest of the bestiary. Scott, innocent little Scott, had suggested he just write purely from what he'd read! Hah! No way. Stiles had learnt not to trust anything he read in those books anymore…no, he was going to research the old fashioned way. The dangerous way -Or Stiles writes a bestiary and decides he needs first-hand knowledge. #Sterek
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

The whole thing had started on a late Saturday night, when Stiles was alone at home, researching.

He had borrowed various bestiaries and scripts from both Deaton and Mr Argent (the later taking some convincing). Quickly, though, Stiles had found a dilemma. Deaton's books, though long and descriptive, were all in Archaic Latin and translated worse than Google did, so Stiles couldn't understand half the things he read, even when translated into English.

The Argent's scripts were even worse. The ones that _were _in English, had many, many, many, many, detailed paragraphs about how _dangerous _and _hideous_ various supernational beings were, and how they needed to be put down (pun intended). Basically the things were just lengthy discussions on why people should hate werewolves. No thanks.

And Stiles, sitting down that night, had found himself thinking, '_Can't anyone write an understandable, _accurate_ bestiary?' _and then he realised, there was someone who could! And no, it wasn't Deaton, screw you.

So, he started with werewolves, obviously, typing the whole thing up on his computer, he wrote paragraphs and paragraphs, pages and pages, everything he knew to be true and totally accurate.

He started with their appearance (descriptions of claws, teeth, eyes (and the story behind the eyes), hair, etc.), then he went on to the _behaviour _(sniffing, growling, changing at the full moon, pack-mentality, etc.), then onto supernatural abilities (strength, smell, sight, sound, memory-taking, wolf-features and how alphas could absorb their beta's power), then culture (symbols, history, famous packs, basic wolf ideals) and so on…

He even added an extra couple pages on mutations such as the Kanima, or people whose bodies rejected the bite.

The wolf part, though, was easy, though, what with Scott (and unfortunately Peter) helping with behavioural, historical and physical facts, as well as providing him with pictures (eyes closed of course) of beta forms.

He couldn't write up on Banshees, since he only actually knew one and that just wasn't enough variables for his liking, after all, Lydia had only known for a couple of months, so she'd be no help when it came to dynamics and history.

The hard part was going to be writing the rest of the bestiary. Scott, innocent little Scott, had suggested he just write purely from what he'd read! Hah! No. No way. Stiles had learnt not to trust anything he read in those books anymore…no, he was going to research the _old fashioned way._

The dangerous way…

Let's just hope no-one tells his dad…or Derek.


	2. Chapter 2: Vampires

Chapter Two: Vampires

Yep, it was decided. The world officially loved to troll Stiles Stilinski, and not even in the funny, 'haha you were born clumsy' way either. This time, it was the 'haha, your car totally broke down ten miles out of town and you have no cell reception-not to mention it's _freezing_' kind of way. The world was funny like that.

So, deciding it was actually closer to take a shortcut through the woods and go to Scott's house, rather than spend ages trying to get to his own, Stiles stupidly started trekking through the woods…

At night…

In a town well known for its 'dead body in the woods' count…

Smart move Stilinski, you total dumb shit.

Honestly, he didn't think it through, and was really starting to regret the idea when about two miles into the trail he heard branches rustling and birds being upset. It was straight out of an opening scene of supernatural really. Stiles bet that if he listened clearly enough, he probably would have heard tense orchestra music.

"Ah- is somebody there?" Stiles asked, not really expecting a response. More like expecting imminent death.

He got a response.

"Ooooh look! A puppy's going for a walk!" came a Brooklyn accent from very, _very_ close behind him, like 'feel yo' breath on my neck' close.

Stiles whipped around, his heart jumping into his chest in the sudden thrill. He almost tripped over the various twigs and rocks scattering the ground, and would've felt embarrassed- if not for the utter terror of the situation.

There was a young guy, short hair- the colour of which Stiles couldn't tell in that light, cocky smile and he _towered _over Stiles. Not in the way big, buff guys like Boyd did…but in the way skinny, freakishly long guys like Isaac did.

"Dude- I don't own a puppy." Stiles told him, mostly faking his calm because, in all seriousness- this guy looked shady as shit. Like, who walked around in the woods at night and creeped up on unsuspecting teenagers? Serial killers, that's who… And probably Derek, but then again, Stiles wasn't exactly certain that Derek hadn't gone on an angst-filled killing spree at least _once _in his horribly depressing life_._

The guy in front of Stiles cocked his head, studying strangely. Then, he took a step forward, _way _into Stiles' personal space and _sniffed._

"Whoa, dude- personal space!" Stiles shouted, taking a hasty step back and shoving the guy away from him.

The dude just smiled.

"And BTW, that means 'by the way'- just FYI -FYI means 'for your information' BTW,…uh, my dad's the sheriff and if you kill me, no matter how much you think you've hidden the body!- he'll end up catching you, and the dude owns a gun. So be warned." Stiles glared at the dude, trying his best to feel intimidating, but really, he was nervous as hell- and with nervousness, came rambling. He really hoped this guy wasn't an axe murderer…Scott wouldn't be able to survive without him!

"I apologise, it seems I made a mistake earlier." The dude said, smiling brightly at Stiles- and even in the dark of night, he could tell the dude was cute. Nice straight nose, nice almond-shaped eyes, nice bone structure…nice teeth.

"Uh- on deciding to kill me? 'Cause not doing that is a really a great decision. I am totally, one hundred per cent, cool with that." Stiles replied awkwardly.

"No, I never really thought about killing you in the first place- I was talking about assuming you were a werewolf, though- by the way you smell it was an easy mistake to make." The guy still had on an easy smile, almost _warm_- it weirded Stiles the hell out.

"Hey! I don't sme- Wait. Werewolf?" Stiles looked at the guy, widening his eyes dramatically.

He just smiled in return, stepping closer, but holding his hands out in a 'mean no harm' gesture.

"Yes werewolf, and judging by the way you smell- _like werewolf_, you know a fair few of them." The dude frowned at that, seemingly disturbed.

"Well yeah, my besty is one, which is why I know only _other werewolves _can smell wolf on people." Wow, another wolf…How fucking many were there in BH anyway?

The dude, and Stiles should really stop thinking of him as 'the dude'…anyway, the dude stared at Stiles for a moment, his eyes comically wide, letting Stiles see the beautiful hazel they were…before he burst out laughing.

"I- ahaha! A wolf? You think I'm a wolf! Oh- oh my God that is rich haha!" The dude was laughing so hard he was doubled over, clenching his stomach. Stiles didn't see what was so funny.

"What are you then, if not a supernatural creature of the night?" Stiles asked angrily, pouting- the air of fear seemingly having vanished. The dude just seemed too cheerful and to be honest…harmless.

"Oh I didn't say I wasn't one of _those_- just not of the smelly lupine variety." The guy smiled, looking as if he was still on the verge of breaking out laughing.

"So…you're, what, a mountain troll?" Stiles asked, returning the dude's smile.

The guy bitch faced him for that, "No- I'm not a _mountain troll._ I'm a vampire."

Yeah right!

"Oh really?" Stiles asked, smirking.

"Really." the guy replied, smirking back.

"Show me your fangs then, oh mighty Vladimir." Stiles found banter with this guy intensely easy… which it shouldn't have been, since only moments before- Stiles had thought the guy was an axe-murder.

"Promise not to freak?" The guy asked him, stepping closer.

"Werewolves for friends remember Vlad?" Stiles replied, maybe leaning in a bit too…just a _bit. _Flirting with a total stranger, in the forest, at night… Only you Stilinski, only you.

"You asked for it." 'Vlad' said, and with a devilish grin, he revealed…_perfectly normal teeth._

Which…. TOTALLY JUST ELONGATED, OH MY GOD!

"Oh my God!" Stiles squeaked, stepping back and stumbling over a root in the ground- he would've fallen on his ass too, if 'Vlad' hadn't caught him by the elbows and brought him in close…to press against his chest.

"You don't eat people…do you?" Stiles asked, deadly serious and totally wondering if the vampire could hear his heart rate skyrocketing.

The guy clutching him to his chest just rolled his eyes, still not letting Stiles go- even though Stiles totally thought he deserved some distance since this dude _drank human blood._

Noticing Stiles' stress- 'Vlad' let him go, and took a couple steps back.

"No. I do not eat people- I, um, steal blood bags from the local hospital." He looked sheepish as he admitted it- but Stiles still gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Well I guess it's better than killing people." Stiles mused.

"Yeah, only some of us do that- and, like- not me! Totally not me! I am totally a modernised vamp- never, ever killed a human!" The guy seemed really anxious, like Stiles was gonna run away screaming.

"Dude, Vlad- it's fine. I hang out with a bunch of wolf-men- I can handle a vampire." Stiles assured him, and on some stupid instinct, reached out and placed a hand on the guy's arm to comfort him.

'Vlad' didn't shake it off…

"My name's not Vlad." The guy muttered, anger only half-hearted, as he was obviously trying to keep the smirk off of his face.

"Oh?" Stiles asked, smirking.

"Yeah, it's Toby actually." 'Vlad'…_Toby, _replied.

"A vampire named Toby?" Stiles asked- grinning at the guy in front of him.

"Yes, a vampire named Toby. We're not actually three-thousand year old immortal beings with really old names you know. I'm only twenty." Toby sassed.

"Oh, okay…My name's Stiles BTW." Stiles responded.

"_Stiles?" _Toby choked, obviously having difficulty with the name.

"It's not my _real _name! My mother was Polish, so I have this weird, hard to pronounce, Polish name- and trust me when I say it's a heck of a lot worse than _Stiles_."

Toby smiled, flashing his _perfectly flat (thank God) _teeth.

"Stiles it is then."

"What are you doing out here anyway?" Stiles asked.

"Oh- uh, going for a walk I guess…Vamps are nocturnal so…" Toby shrugged. "What are _you_ doing here?" he asked, looking is if he was just now noticing how odd it would be for a human to be walking along a trail in the woods when it was so dark out.

"Oh! My piece of crap car broke down, so I'm walking along the trail to get to my friend Scott's house…he's probably the werewolf you smell on me actually." Stiles responded, smiling nervously.

"You decided to walk a trail at night…in a town that's well known for 'animal attacks' (which I assume your friends had nothing to do with)…in the freezing cold, when you don't even have a jacket?" Toby was frowning.

"Yeah- I uh, yeah, I'm a bit impulsive…and also stupid. But mostly, I'm freezing- thanks for reminding me." Stiles muttered the last part.

"I uh- actually better start getting to Scott's, you know, so I don't die of hypothermia." Stiles stated, and started walking back along the trail, ignoring the pang of regret he felt of having to stop talking to Toby.

"Wait!" Toby called, running up to him, _really fast, _"I'll come with you!"

"Really?" Stiles asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I- uh, It's dangerous out here, especially for a human, and especially in this weather." Toby rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Okay then, follow me!" Stiles called out cheerily, and started walking- pulling his hands up under his pits to try and warm up his body.

"You cold?" Toby asked, easily matching pace beside him as they walked through the forest.

"Yes. I thought we'd already established that?" Toby didn't need to remind him even more of his popsicle-like state.

He looked straight ahead, embarrassed at his fragile humanity, and heard the rustling of clothing next to him.

"Here." Toby said, as Stiles felt the warm weight of a jacket engulf his shoulders.

"Oh my _God_!" Stiles moaned, immediately pushing his hands through the sleeves and humming out appreciative noises at the warmth.

The heard a choked sound from next to him- and realised it was Toby.

"Uh you okay dude?" Stiles asked, scanning the area to make sure everything was all right.

"Yeah I just- yeah." And Stiles would probably blame the darkness for making him _see things _but he could swear the vampire next to him was _blushing._

"Well, thanks for the jacket dude- it's really warm." Stiles smiled and burrowed into the warmth even more.

Toby just looked down, cutely embarrassed.

They'd been walking for about…half an hour? Maybe more, time really flew when you were having interesting, non-Twilight related (it was a sore topic apparently) conversations with your fellow vampire friends.

They stopped though, when Toby heard a noise, pulling Stiles behind him and _hissing. _Huh, werewolves growled, vampires hissed-good to know.

Toby's eyes were bright red, _glowing _red- more like flames than the ruby Derek's were. He also was crouched in a defensive position, shielding Stiles, his teeth elongated, pointing half-way down his chin.

"What? What's wrong?" then Stiles heard it…the growling, and saw it- a pair of glowing red eyes and a pair of glowing blue.

_Werewolves._

"Friends of yours?" Toby asked, still shielding Stiles.

"How the fuck would I know? Don't have super senses like all of you mythical creatures seem to." Stiles muttered, feeling honestly, totally done with surprised and shock appearances for one night…maybe a _lifetime_.

"Stiles get away from him!" oh…well, Stile wouldn't exactly call them friends, but apparently Derek and Peter had joined the party- wolfed out too.

"Oh. Hey guys!" Stiles peaked from out behind Toby, to wave happily at the absolutely _livid _Derek and Peter.

"Nice night isn't it?" he asked.

"So they are friends?" Toby asked, settling down a bit, but still keeping his fangs and glowing eyes.

"Wouldn't call the, _friends_…more like random guys that I always seem to get stuck in shitty situations with. We don't like, play video games together or something."

Derek was growling _loudly, _Peter not doing much better.

"Stiles- get over here- he's a _vampire." _Derek hissed out the word like it was a particularly foul curse.

"Yes- and you're a werewolf- anything else that's not _blindingly obvious_?" Stiles asked, rolling his eyes and moving to step around Toby.

When he was stepping towards Derek, though, Toby clutched his arm and dragged him back- earning a _big _growl/snarl, from Derek.

"You said they're not friends?" Toby asked, glaring at _Peter _like he was a threat.

…

Well, then again, it _was _Peter.

"Well- no. But they won't hurt me, we have an agreement." Stiles tried to calm Toby down, noticing the situation quickly becoming out of hand.

"Have they ever hurt you _before_?" Toby hissed- still glaring _only _at Peter…even though Derek was doing a majority of the growling.

"No dude!" Stiles tried to sound calm, but it came out as desperate.

"That was a _lie_. I can hear your heartbeat. They've _hurt _you." Toby looked…_enraged_.

"I- okay, so there may have been some steering wheel- to head bashing, and some wall slamming…and some attempted bad-touch…but that's just because I'm annoying?" Stiles really wasn't helping the situation.

"_Attempted Bad-touch?!"_ Toby grunted, his eyes growing impossibly redder.

"Okay, yeah- no. Bad phrasing…I just meant that Peter's a super creepy dude and you just get that vibe! No bad-touch…at least not in the way you're thinking!"

Oh God this situation was so not getting better.

"Okay, Toby. Stop! They're cool okay? No-one's gonna hurt anyone-same goes to you growly wolves over there…Toby's my bro." Stiles nodded, hoping his word cleared everything up.

"If they're so _cool_," Toby spat, "Then why does that one have blue eyes?" he nodded to Peter.

"Okay, so Peter's made some bad life choices…and granted, he's a huge asshole- but Derek (that's the red eyed, growly one) would _never _let him hurt an innocent again- I swear to God!" Stiles pleaded.

Toby just kept glaring.

"Toby- you can hear my heartbeat- They. Wont. Hurt. Me. Okay?" Stiles released the breath he was holding, as Toby calmed down and put the fangs away…keeping the glowing eyes though, probably as a reminder to the wolves.

Derek and Peter still looked pissed though.

"Oh my God! Same goes for Toby guys! I've been with him for like, 45 minutes…if he was gonna kill me- he would've done it by now! So put the fucking claws away!" Stiles didn't mean to sound so whiny- but he was fucking tired…and cold.

Peter turned back human…and after a moment, Derek followed suit, still glaring at Toby.

"How do you even get into these messes Stiles?" Peter asked, chuckling. Well, he sure seemed to calm down quick.

"It wasn't a mess until you mutts showed up." Toby glared.

"Hey- no racism from you!" Stiles warned.

"Yeah, like you didn't help- _leach." _And Stiles had to hold Toby from jumping Derek at that, Derek just smirking smugly at the guy,

"No racism from _either _of you." Stiles glared at Derek, pushing Toby back as he calmed down from the slur.

"I- uh, you should probably go…otherwise a fight will probably start." Stiles said to Toby, disappointment showing in his voice.

"You sure?" Toby asked still glaring at Derek.

"Yeah dude- I can walk the rest of the way…it's only a little bit to go anyway." Stiles assured.

"If you're sure then." Toby shrugged, but sounded put-out. Stiles nodded.

Derek was smirking, like he'd won a victory or something.

"Okay, then…I'll see you 'round some time then." Toby said, and, suddenly, leaned in and enveloped Stiles in his large, warm (which was weird, him being a vamp and all), embrace…holding on longer, and way more, uh…_intimate _than the situation would have called for.

"Y-yeah, bye." Stiles stuttered, awed, as Toby broke away and ran into the trees- disappearing from view.

"_What _was that?!" Derek growled, storming his way up to Stiles and glaring angrily at his shoulder- where Stiles was suddenly aware Toby's jacket still clung.

"Uh. A vampire, I'm pretty sure." Stiles responded, and heard Peter snort.

"_Stiles." _Derek growled, obviously not caring for Stiles' shit.

"Okay. Okay! So, my jeep broke down, an my phone didn't have service- and I decide it walk through the woods to Scott's- 'cause it was quicker that way and-"

"You WHAT?!" Derek shouted, grabbing Stiles by the shoulders.

"Do you realise how stupid that was?!" Derek seemed, if possible, even more livid than he was when Toby was there.

"Yeah- I know, Toby told me, probably a bad idea huh?" Stiles asked, shyly smiling.

Derek sighed, calming down and releasing his grip on Stiles' shoulders.

"Only you would run into a vampire when walking in _werewolf _territory. Jesus." Derek muttered, running his hands through his hair and looking _hopeless_.

"Hey! He was a lot nicer than you've ever been! I wasn't lying when I said you've hurt me!" Stiles protested, glaring at Derek.

…

"And he gave me his jacket 'cause I was cold too! You probably would have let me freeze to death!"

…

"Guess I got stuck with the wrong group of mythical-creatures…vampires seem a heck of a lot more civalised."

…

"And _nice!"_

Derek finally responded, laughing at that. Though, in Derek's case, laughing meant a small huff.

"You've only met one vampire Stiles- and that one was obviously an innocent. You haven't met a demon- vamp, have you?" the question was obviously rhetorical.

"Demon-vamp?" Stiles asked, raising an eyebrow.

Derek sighed, "Let's just say that there's a shit load more vampires that look like Nosferatu – than a pretty boy Edward Cullen."

"At least he didn't sparkle?" Stiles tried.

"Ugh. You're a hopeless cause- let's get you to Scott's so I can go _home_." Derek whined, dragging Stile by his wrist and up the path.

Stiles really, _really _couldn't agree more.


	3. Chapter 3: Vampires (pt 2)

Chapter Three: Vampires (pt. 2)

"Jane my barista goddess! I'll have the usual." Stiles greeted as he walked up the counter of the local coffee joint.

Jane, a pretty coffee (ironically) skinned girl with short, curly hair- just rolled her eyes and smiled, turning to get started of Stiles' usual caramel-mint latte with extra cream (hey don't judge- it tastes like _love_).

"So, how have you been this fine day Janey?" Stiles asked, leaning forward on his elbows to talk to his favourite barista.

"Well- we got another _experience _from 'you know who' again." Jane sighed as she started to steam up the milk.

'You know who' was code for _that piece of shit customer that keeps coming in and complaining about random crap._ The dude acted like he was some food/coffee critic, but Stiles was _fairly _certain the guy lived out of his car and only complained because he wanted everyone else's lives to be as shitty as his.

Jane hated him- and often used Stiles as the person she complained to. Stiles was cool with it though, he didn't really have many other people to talk to besides Scott.

"Ugh- did he have on that ratty cravat again? Because if he did I swear to God." Stiles muttered under his breath, clenching his fists angrily.

Over the past month or so, Stiles and Jane had become _really _invested in hating 'you know who', who's actual name was Gregory something.

"Who're we talking about?" came a happy voice from close behind Stiles. It made him jump about three feet in the air- which caused Jane to laugh, and he whipped around to see who the hell it was that snuck up on him.

"Hi." Said Toby, waving his hand in an awkward gesture- but smiling brightly. And _oh God, _Stiles had thought he'd looked cute in the _dark _but it was nothing compared to seeing him in daylight.

Short, messy, chestnut hair that looked _styled _but not styled, like those people in the movies with the windswept locks. His eyes were bright, spotted hazel, blue on the outside- green in the middle, and to the very edge _chocolate. _Magic rainbow eyes were _awesome_! He was tall, as Stiles had already noticed…but Toby's frame wasn't like his own, it was lithe, lean and _wearing tight clothes_…hipster clothes! Hipster clothes that, when Toby leaned to the left slightly, to scan the rest of the shop, showed off a _great _ass- like, Stiles could write some serious Shakespearian poems about how _fine _that behind was.

Stiles felt his cheeks heat up immediately, after he stopped his scan of Toby's body- only to see that Toby was doing the same to him, and looking _very _appreciative.

It was strange- nice, but strange. Nobody in BH ever looked at him like that. Not ever. It seemed as if it was almost embarrassing to think of a kid so dorky as an attractive 'catch'.

"Uh, hey Toby!" Stiles greeted, smiling genuinely,

"Stiles- order up!" Jane spoke from behind him, and handed Stiles the warm cup of deliciousness.

Stiles took a sip- immediately burning his tongue, but he didn't care, 'cause it was _awesome_. He hummed in appreciation.

Toby took a step closer and sniffed at the cup, "Caramel and _mint_?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in obvious judgement.

"Don't knock it till you try it my good man." Stiles defended, taking another small sip and closing his eyes in ecstasy, because _coffee._

When he opened them, he saw Toby staring at him with a raised eyebrow, obviously amused.

"Okay then," He said- turning to Jane, "I'll have whatever Stiles just ordered please." Smiling politely, Stiles wondered again, how a vampire could be so _nice. _Then again it was a stereotype that they were charming.

"Okay- caramel-mint latte with extra whipped cream coming right up!" Jane said- and turned to Stiles and gave him a _look_.

"You know- you could've told me you had a boyfriend, the barista who works after me was actually planning on asking you out." Jane glared, but looked amused.

Stiles blushed, "Oh- uh, Molly right? The red-head? Yeah…I've only spoken to her like, once…and she insulted me many, _many_ times."

Jane laughed, turning to make Toby's order.

"Yeah," She said, raising her voice to go over the machine, "That's the way she flirts- she's kind of a pigtail-puller."

Jane turned back to look at both boys dark curls bouncing around her like she was out of some kind of Disney movie or something, "But don't worry- Toby, was it? I'll tell her he's taken."

Stiles started to protest, but Toby just reached down and _held his hand _running his thumb back and forth over Stiles' fingers. Touching- touching was good. Stiles now appreciated the fact that he had hands.

"Thanks." Toby said, smiling warmly at Jane, and turning to wink at Stiles.

Stiles was about to start sputtering- or blushing, or rambling- maybe all three- but Jane, thank God, interrupted- handing Toby his order.

"That's four fifty for each." She offered, and Stiles realised he was still yet to pay.

"Sure." Toby handed her a ten, telling her to keep the change- and steered Stiles over to a nice, comfy couch in the corner of the shop.

"So, did you get home all right last night?" Toby asked, taking a sip of hid drink and _wincing_- then quickly trying to cover it up…it made Stiles giggle.

"Yeah, though not before he gave me a _long _lecture about how bad vampires are." Stiles grinned, winking at Toby- the man laughed.

"Yeah…werewolves and vampires are kind of natural enemies- we've had our own great wars throughout history- my grandma used to tell them to me as bedtime-stories." Toby had a nostalgic look on his face.

"Oh-were you born a vampire?" Stiles asked, hoping it wasn't too much of an invasive question.

"Yeah- most vamps are…the turned ones tend to go a bit…feral." Toby said it in seriousness, almost darkly.

It gave Stiles an idea.

"Uh…Toby?" Stiles asked, wondering how to approach the topic.

"Yes Stiles?" Toby asked in return, smiling at Stiles and sliding a little closer on the couch.

"How adverse are you to the idea of sharing some facts about vampires?...Okay that sounded weird, I promise it's not weird!"

…Toby remained silent.

"Well- it's just I've been reading some bestiaries- and they're total bull shit. Most of them express how much of a monster something is- rather than going into its history and customs and _good qualities_. So…uh, I was planning on writing one? I mean- I've already started- I've finished the chapter on werewolves…Deaton still won't tell me about Druids- says 'you're not ready to hear' or some shit…but anyway, I'd really like to know what's _true _about vampires…and what hunters just made up. If, you know, you don't mind…" Stiles trailed off awkwardly, refusing to look Toby in the eye.

"Sure! That sounds great! My family often complains about how the hunters only focus on the bad vamps…this actually sounds like it'd be…accurate? So yeah, I'm cool- as long as you don't share it with anyone dangerous." Toby looked at him seriously.

"Oh no no no! I'd never- I'm too worried about my friend's safety to do that." Stiles knew that Toby was listening to his heart, detecting no lies.

"Cool." He said- and put his hands down Stiles' pants.

Not like that!

Just into his pocket to grab Stiles' phone…though the proximity did do _things._

Toby started typing something, took a picture- and then handed it back to Stiles.

On the screen showed a new contact listed under 'Vlad the friendly vampire' and the picture was a nice, smiling picture of Toby.

Toby had just given him his number.

"I thought vampires couldn't show up in pictures." Is what Stiles responded with.

"Only the bad ones cant." Toby said, the same look of…_hesitation _taking over his face.

"Wow- yeah, you have to tell me about that." Stiles insisted.

Toby smiled, patting Stiles on the back.

"Later. Text me, we'll meet up. But right now- your guard dog has arrived and I'm really not in favour of getting bitten." Toby jerked his head over to the entrance of the shop.

Derek stood there, scowling, hands tight by his sides and balled into fists- he was walking closer, glaring it Toby.

"See ya later Stiles." Toby said kissing him on the cheek, then scurrying off before Stiles could respond- skiting around Derek like he was off-cheese, and bolting out the door- all the while cackling gleefully.

Derek stood, brooding over Stiles and glaring- obviously furious and trying to keep his wolf under wraps.

"Stiles." He gritted out- jaw clenched. "What were you doing with _him_?"

Stiles blinked, "Having a nice conversation, and drinking coffee." He replied helpfully.

"Stiles- he's _dangerous_." Derek growled.

"So are you. In fact you've caused me even more bodily harm than _Peter _has- so shut your hypocritical mouth Hale." Stiles snapped.

Derek looked down, looking guilty- but still _majorly furious._

"He kissed you." Derek gritted.

"Yes- yes he did. So?" Stiles raised an eyebrow, unsure why Derek cared.

"You're gonna see him again?" Derek asked, slightly calmer.

"Yes, yes I am."

Derek sighed.

"And there's nothing I can do to stop you?" he sounded resigned.

"Not a damned thing." Stiles replied cheerfully, cracking his knuckles.

"Okay then, next time you meet up- I'm supervising." Derek said- anger seemingly on hold.

"_Why?" _ Stiles whined, it wasn't like they were gonna do anything anyway!

"'Cause he's dangerous- and I obviously can't keep you from doing whatever the Hell you want- so I'd feel better if I knew you were okay." Derek said it softly, slowly, genuinely. Like he was afraid of his own words…

And at that, Stiles cracked.

It couldn't hurt right?


	4. Chapter 4: Vampires (pt 3)

Chapter Four: Vampires (pt 3)

He'd texted Toby as soon as he was out of Derek's sight- telling him they could meet up at the coffee shop about an hour after school on Wednesday. He also, sadly, had to break the news that Derek was to supervise them, which Toby replied to with a **'Nooooooo L'**.

So, yeah- there he was, sitting at a table and basically being ignored as vampire and werewolf stared off in individual death glares. Stiles had originally thought Toby could never really look dangerous, being so cute- but the _horror _that glare set in his bones almost made him shiver.

They'd all ordered their respective beverages- Toby neglecting to order the Stiles Special again, but both non-humans seemed to be letting their drinks run cold in favour of a staring-match.

Stiles coughed, fiddling with his notepad (that he'd brought along to write notes for the bestiary) and feeling extremely awkward.

"So, ugh, can you guys stop trying to kill each other via eye-contact and can we actually get this thing started?" in all honesty Stiles was feeling a _little _peeved at their actions.

Toby snapped his head to look at him, as though he'd just remembered Stiles was there. As soon as he set his eyes on him, though, his entire expression softened- the anger and challenge fading away, eyes lighting up and mouth turning upward in a small, soft, smile.

Stiles, out of the corner of his eye- noticed Derek watching Toby, noticed him noticing the way Toby _changed _and Derek himself looked upset, not angered, just upset- like he was disturbed by the expression on the vampire's face.

"So, uh Toby…both you and Derek have mentioned some kind of…_bad _vampires- like, different from you or something?" Stiles asked, trying to relieve the obvious air of discomfort.

Toby frowned, his nose crinkling cutely, "Yeah- uh, my sister and I call it 'the buffy mode'." he said.

Derek snorted- like he actually found what Toby said funny, and Toby smirked in return.

"Buffy mode?" Stiles asked, confused.

Toby nodded, looking more like a puppy than a bat, "Yeah- uh, all vampires start out like me- normal looking (except with the, you know, fangs and glowing eyes and crap), but…ugh, it's hard to explain." Toby ran his hands over his face.

"Try." Stiles urged.

Toby nodded, "Okay, so- yeah, normal looking. That's what all vamps start out like. Normal looking people who can do normal people things- like walking out in the sun. But if the vampire…let's say, _kills a human_- well, their appearance starts to reflect their _soul_- kind of like an Alpha's form does-" at this he nodded to Derek.

"So- the buffy reference…?" Stiles asked.

"Well- the weird, bat-like faces in buffy- are kind of the faces most of the bad ones get- it's permanent too, so they're constantly ugly. But, ah- the _really _bad ones- the ones who kill for more than just blood…they look like, I don't know- a mixture between a classic description of Dracula…and a weird monster thingy. Pointy ears- pointy teeth, claws, red eyes- skin tight across their face…tall, like eight feet- and really, really skinny. Only the really evil ones get that way- they're the ones that ignited most of the stereotypes."

Stiles wrote all of this down on the notepad he'd brought along, little footnotes that he'd later turn into paragraphs for his bestiary.

"Speaking of stereotypes- let's play a little true or false." Stiles suggested and Toby nodded in agreement.

"So- garlic?" he asked.

"True- it's kind of like our wolfsbane…we can be near it- but if it touches us it hurts like a _bitch._"

"Okay- good to know- no garlic bread. So, holy water and crucifixes?" Stiles paused writing, waiting for his response.

Toby snorted, "We're not demonic creatures, so no, false. I think that all started 'cause someone saw what we call a 'demon vamp' and decided it held great resemblance to the ideals of a devil."

Stiles nodded, it made sense.

"Sunlight?"

"More people you kill- more it burns…feels nice and warm to me by the way." Looking suddenly anxious, as if Stiles may find him as dangerous as Derek made him seem.

Stiles saw Derek rolling his eyes- and Toby glared at the sourwolf in return.

"Coffins?" Stiles asked- trying _again _to break the tension.

"Well- you have to be dead to be turned- and vamps are nocturnal, so I guess that where that came from. But no- false- I sleep in a _perfectly nice bed_." Okay, wow- Toby definitely just winked at that. The dude was kind of weird- one minute he was cute and awkward, the next dangerous and forward.

Derek was growling- the _total cockblock._ Ugh he was such a downer, probably thought Toby was trying to drain Stiles' blood or some shit.

"You're nocturnal? You said that last night." Stiles mentioned and Derek growled again, "What are you doing out in the afternoon then?"

Toby smiled, dimples flashing, "I wanted to see you- that's actually why I was at the shop yesterday too…I thought I had more of a chance seeing you in open day."

Stiles blushed- Derek growled.

"Okay! Seriously, we're in public- can you hold out the vampire-werewolf rivalry for just one moment?" Stiles complained, while simultaneously hitting Derek in the arm.

Toby rolled his eyes and smirked at Derek unkindly, "I don't think that's why he's so antsy Stiles- why _are_ you so mad _Derek_?" Toby asked, smiling evilly.

Stiles felt like he was missing something here.

"I just don't like you." Derek deadpanned, and sipped at his coffee calmly.

"Ugh- enough of the size comparing, "- at this both of them looked embarrassed, "Can we get back to the questions please?" Stiles had had enough…although he'd been that way for a while now.

"Okay, so- history of vampires?" Stiles asked- clapping his hands in an effort to get started again.

In the end, he got all of his information, almost twenty pages of notes…but it meant having to endure glares, growls, hisses, smirks and very _racist _comments about dogs and leaches.

In the end Stiles ended up having to drag Derek out of there by the back of the t-shirt- as he was trying to lunge at a livid Toby.

Stiles waved his goodbyes, still utterly confused about why the hell they hated each other so much. Surely the vampire/werewolf conflict didn't run that deep? Oh well- he'd have to text Toby about it later.


	5. Chapter 5: Vampires (pt 4)

Chapter Five: Vampires (pt. 4)

You know that feeling you get, when you know everything is absolutely fine- but one completely incorrect person assumes the world is ending?

That person was Derek.

They'd just had a long, tiring battle with a bunch of wraiths, and although Stiles was a bit worse for-wear, he was actually pretty okay. Maybe a few bruises here or there…but Scott had killed the thing before it could suck out Stiles' soul so… (turns out J.K Rowling was _pretty _damned accurate with the whole dementor thing)

Derek, however, even after a lot of pushing and whining on Stiles' part, refused to leave Stiles at home alone (his dad was on night-shift) and deciding Stiles was some fragile little duckling, planted himself on the couch- and refused to leave.

Eventually, after Stiles had screamed, reasoned and pleaded to his heart's content- he'd given up and resigned himself to a night with Derek; which, with that phrasing, didn't sound so bad.

But in reality- it was Derek glaring moodily at the TV, while Stiles got bored and opted for texting Toby instead.

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Marvel or DC?_**

Toby replied almost immediately, making Stiles' heart leap in happiness.

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_I actually like Darkhorse- Hellboy and all._**

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_God call. U read Umbrella Academy?_**

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Yea- making people explode with music!_**

Stiles smiled, and out of the corner of his eye- noticed Derek watching him.

"Texting Toby." He said- waving his phone.

Derek grunted and turned away, scowling.

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Hey, question- why does Derek hate U so much?_**

It took Toby longer to respond to that one, and gave Stiles an opportunity to study the brooding Derek, who was now glaring at the phone in his hands.

His phone vibrated.

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_He doesn't like that I like you…_**

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_U like me?_**

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_;)_**

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_That still doesn't explain why Derek doesn't like U though- is it some kind of territorial, no flirting with my citizens! Thingy?_**

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Oh it's territorial all right._**

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_…?_**

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Stiles…I'm leaving town tonight…_**

Oh. Stiles felt a rush of disappointment course through him. He'd gotten all the info he needed for the bestiary, but still…it was _Toby_. The dude was adorable.

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_I'm gonna miss you._**

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_I'll miss you too. L_**

Stiles really, really would.

Suddenly Derek's head popped up, and he frowned, leaning to the side like there was a bug in his ear.

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Come out side_**

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_?_**

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

**_Please?_**

Stiles sighed, putting down his phone and getting up to go to the door.

"Where are you going?" Derek asked in a demanding tone.

"Outside."

Derek raised his eyebrow, obviously not considering that answer enough.

"Look- Toby is obviously outside- I know you can hear him-" at this he looked pointedly at Derek, "So I'm gonna go out and say 'hello', you , however are gonna stay here because I'd really rather not get blood on my porch. It's a very nice porch and my dad'll ask too many questions. So sit your ass down."

Derek sat, but didn't look happy about it, crossing his arms and glaring so hard it was almost a pout. It was cute.

"Relax sourwolf- you look like you're about to have a stroke." Stiles chuckled, and headed down the hall to open the door.

"Hi" Toby greeted with a wave once he opened the door.

The man looked flushed- chestnut hair windswept, pacing from foot to foot and rubbing the back of his head nervously.

"Can you- uh, step outside please?" He asked, smiling awkwardly.

"Err- why?" Stiles questioned, perplexed, and then added a "DON'T YOU DARE GET UP!" over his shoulder to Derek- who was already growling.

"Uh- 'cause of the whole 'have to be invited in' to cross the threshold…and I really wouldn't expect you to invite a vampire you barely know into your house…so could you come out here? I really wanna try something…" Toby blushed.

"What? Sure. AND DEREK DON'T YOU DARE!" Stiles added for extra precaution, and stepped out into the light of his porch, closing the door behind him.

Toby was standing…rather close.

"Still got your guard dog huh?" He asked, placing a hand either side of Stiles' face- cupping it and rubbing circles with his thumbs. It was nice, but made Stiles nervous.

"Mmm" Stiles muttered, lids drooping as he leaned in. He wasn't exactly experienced- but even he could tell where this was going, heart thumping even loud enough for him to hear.

Toby chuckled and closed the gap, stepping forward and pushing their legs together, pulling Stiles' face up- and slightly to the side…and then pressing his own lips down.

At first it was sweet, gentle and wet…then after a moment Stiles licked out and Toby _groaned _after that things escalated a bit quickly.

Toby ran his fingers through Stiles' hair, and lifted him up so they were the same height, pressed chest to chest- Stiles' legs wrapped around Toby's waist.

Toby licked out, asking for permission and Stiles opened willingly, humming happily when Toby started exploring thoroughly.

It was messy, it was wet, it was hot and all in all it was _fantastic._

Hands were roaming places, lips were parting only to breath heavily- then dive straight back in again, noses were clashing and neither cared.

It took a while for Stiles to notice at first, what with the awesome making-out. But they were making a lot of _noise. _Their lips- moving together and smashing hurriedly- made wet squelching noises, completely different from the sweet noises you'd hear in a romantic movie. Their breathing was heavy- panting and catching, like neither of them could get enough air in.

The noisiest sound though, was the sound of the moans…the hums and the general sounds of _bliss _coming from both vampire and Human- bliss that was interrupted when the door suddenly slammed open and Stiles was yanked back by the collar of his shirt.

"What the fuck?" Toby asked, glaring at Derek and making grabby hands for Stiles, "Give him back!"

"Yeah give him back!" Stiles agreed- struggling against Derek's grip.

Derek just growled.

"Look- I'm leaving town _which I know you'll be intensely happy to hear- _So could you please at least let me have my goodbye?" Toby asked, not looking angry- just pleading.

From behind him- Derek sighed, and let Stiles go.

"Two minutes- make it quick."

Stiles rolled his eyes and turned to Toby- who immediately hugged him.

"I really am going to miss you, you know. You're the most remarkable human I've ever met. Seriously. I've never met a human like you…so smart and _good_. You're amazing." Toby breathed into his neck.

Then, suddenly, Stiles felt the vampire _sniffing_.

"Uhh- you okay there dude?" he asked, smiling awkwardly, still being held in Toby's arms…while being _sniffed._

"Mmm." Toby hummed happily, snuffling away- then seemingly realising what he was doing, pulled his face away and coughed-embarrassed.

"I-uh…super smell…it makes good smells smell better." Toby blushed, looking at his feet.

"You think I smell good?" Stiles asked- and heard Derek's annoyed groan from behind him.

"I think you smell _awesome._" Toby breathed- and leaned in for another, long, sickeningly amazing kiss.

They went at it for a while, eventually hands started to stray to asses- before Stiles heard Derek cough angrily behind them and decided to break away.

"So…this is goodbye?" Stiles asked sadly.

Toby nodded, smiling unhappily, pressing their foreheads together.

"Still have each other's numbers…maybe next time I come round we could go for a coffee?"

"With mint and caramel?" Stiles asked excitedly.

Toby chuckled, "No way in Hell am I drinking that again." He declared, and leaned in to peck Stiles on the lips for one, last, time.

Derek was intensely pleased to see him go- and Stiles bet if he wasn't looking, the werewolf would have done a victory dance. Asshole.


	6. Chapter 6: Fae

Chapter Six: Fae

Stiles had grown to become severely bored whenever the weekend came around. Mostly because all of his friends were off doing something; Scott with Allison (they'd recently got back together woohoo!) And…well, even if you considered any of the others his friends (he supposed Isaac was)… they never actually hung out with him on weekends anyway. So really, he was just bored because Scott had abandoned him for a rekindled romance.

He didn't blame Scott though; Stiles knew he himself probably would've done the same thing if Toby had decided to stay in town. But he hadn't. Which meant Stiles had no-one to hang with.

He would've considered working on the bestiary- but he had vowed to work off of info he _himself _had actually obtained…and Stiles hadn't actually run into any mythical creatures recently- which was a surprise given the _insane _amount of freaking things that appeared in their town. Like, seriously…even the girl he had a crush on since the third freaking grad turned out to be a banshee! Ugh!

So the bestiary was a no-go. Not that he hadn't tried to branch out a bit- he'd gone time and time again to Deaton, questioning him about Druids, but the man remained confusingly silent, telling Stiles in that vague 'I'm going to be intentionally mysterious' way he always seemed to use just to piss people off, that the information would eventually show itself to him- _whatever that means._

So, in the meantime- Stiles had decided to grow himself a little project to work on over the weekends.

It involved a rubbish-bag full of sacrificial stuffed-teddy bears (preferable if wolves) a pair of high-res binoculars and hiking boots.

He'd explained it to a _very _confused Scott like this:

Werewolves mostly rely on their smell and hearing, and run through the woods (their usual hang-out to go and kill innocent woodland creatures) at break-neck speeds…which is why they get caught in hunter's traps so much.

Now, if, say -_Stiles _walked through the woods…going slowly and actually _looking out _for bear-traps and other such devices- he'd actually be able to find them and not get torn to shreds or cut in half via medieval sword.

He, of course, swore Scott to secrecy- knowing if any of the other wolves found out it would be less-likely he could convince them to let him act out his plan.

Stiles' plan, was basically dropping weighted, stuffed toy wolves onto highly concealed (but detected by him, because he actually _looked _thank you very much Scott) bear traps, trip wires, pressure plates, and sometimes he _threw_ the wolves into motion sensors-that one was the most fun! Therefore rendering the traps useless until a hunter came along and reset them, which he'd timed to about every three days.

What worried him, though, was the fact that the Argents had _retired _from trying to kill Derek and Scott's packs - so why the Hell were there traps? He'd asked Allison about it, and she'd spoken to her dad. The message she'd relayed back to him had been that the Argents had nothing to do with it- but that they'd look into the situation, since this was hunting on _their _turf.

Until then, Stiles was perfectly happy with his stuffed-lupine sabotage.

He whistled as he walked through the woods-(a mid-afternoon session was always a fun time), happily swinging a bag of stuffed creatures over his shoulder.

Stiles had marked a trail where the most likely targets would be…but the hunters had seemingly noticed his sabotage, and had been constantly changing the location of their traps. It didn't matter that much to him though- it gave him more time to get rid of his boredom.

He changed from whistling _'jingle bells'_ to humming the song _Tom Sawyer _by _Rush _underneath his breath- just when he got to his favourite part- the part that left him breathless and happy- he noticed a patch of ground and leaves that was _too well _spaced out with leaves and twigs…and too high. A sign he'd come to notice, screamed 'TRAP!"

So, chuckling evilly, he paced over and dropped a nice, push wolf onto the pile of leaves- and sure enough, there was the tell-tale 'THUNK' of the jaws of a bear-trap closing on its victim.

Well, they _had _wanted to catch a wolf.

Stiles laughed at the joke- wondering what the hunter's looked like when they saw the presents he left for them. He bet the first time they'd found one- they'd sobbed like babies.

Oh well! On to the next trap!

And off he went, walking again and humming various merry tunes- reflecting the joy he'd grown accustomed to feeling every time he trolled hunters. It was on the fast track to becoming a favourite past-time…right up there with annoying the shit out of Peter Hale.

He only got a few more metres into the forest, though, when he heard a small scream- like the scream of a child.

"Hello?" Stiles called out, instantly worried.

He heard it again- yep, definitely a kid screaming, and definitely in pain.

What was a _kid _doing out here?

Did they get caught in one of the traps?

Ohshitohshitohshit.

Okay, so- search time Stiles! You can do it! Save the day, be a hero! Be a Scott!

He ran quickly over to where the crying originated, scanning with both his eyes and ears for a sign of the child he had heard. His breath ran quick- the adrenalin making him freak out.

Stiles soon found the source of the noise a few metres away, behind a grove of trees and in a small clearing…but it certainly _wasn't _the small child he had expected.

Pinned to a tree and dangling by a razor tipped arrow (probably set off by one of those motion sensors those stupid hunters had been leaving around carelessly) was….a small, winged creature?

It was distinctly female, and about the size of Stiles' forearm; Coffee skin, red lips, green, watery, pained eyes and long, flowing red hair that reminded him of Lydia's. It _looked _child-like though…so maybe it was a child to whatever species it was from? This creature was looking right at him, clenching her lips together in an obvious effort not to scream out.

The arrow was pinning her to a tree through one leaf-shaped, multi-coloured wing- making the creature dangle at least five feet above the ground. She looked extremely pained…and really young, and again- Stiles found himself hating hunters for their life choices.

"Are you okay?" Stiles exclaimed, rushing forward and dropping his bag of toys to the forest floor uncaringly.

"Stop!" The little creature warned, narrowing its eyes at Stiles- but also looking afraid.

"Don't come any closer!" It snapped. Its accent was indeterminate, but definitely not Californian- or a New York accent like Stiles' own, or of any country he'd ever heard actually

."I-I'm not going to hurt you." Stiles said slowly and softly, checking the small creature for further injuries with his eyes. He found none- thank God.

"How do I know you're not the one who did this to me?" the little thing snapped, glaring accusingly.

Stiles rolled his eyes and stepped forward, figuring there was only one way to do this.

Despite the small feminine creature's protests to not come any closer, and to get away- Stiles moved forward, and gently- ever so gently, removed the arrow from her trapped wing, cradling her in his arm so she wouldn't fall.

"See? I won't hurt you. Now- Are you okay?" He asked, setting her gently on the ground so that she didn't feel intimidated in his arms. He stepped back a bit also, just to be sure…and crouched down.

The creature looked at him for a long time, seemingly studying, and then, after, perhaps, a decision; nodded.

"I am only injured in my wing- but I might need some medical assistance, which I can't apply to myself since I used up all of my energy levels trying to hold myself up so my wing wouldn't tear." She sighed, looking down at the bleeding (it was freaking _pink _blood by the way!) appendage sadly.

"Uh- is there anyone I can take you to? I know this guy called Deaton? He knows about magical stuff…" Stiles muttered awkwardly, not really knowing what to do in situations like that- but understanding in himself that he had to help this girl…or thing, whatever she was.

"No! A human cannot help!" The creature scoffed, seemingly amused, and her pointy ears actually turned red in humour as her nose scrunched up in a funny expression.

"I need the help of my people." She said in a more serious tone- as she looked Stiles in the eyes with her own bright ones.

"Who _are_…?" Stiles asked encouragingly, actually wondering how the hell he even got into these messes and why it was always _him_.

"Fae- or Fairies. Obviously." The Fairy replied, rolling her slanted eyes.

Oh fuck Stiles' life.

**Note:**

**So, I'm planning on making this a long fic- and filling it with heaps of mythical creatures. If any of you would like to suggest some, that would be awesome- and would also save me heaps of time scanning my brain to come up with monsters/ beasts- so comment if you have any! Thanks :D**

**Plus: Should I bring Toby back: Yes or No?**


	7. Chapter 7: Fae (pt 2)

Chapter Seven: Fae (pt 2)

"Okay, so, where are we even going?" Stiles asked the fairy as he trudged through the woods, weaving his way around trees and over rocks.

She'd _insisted _on riding on his back- something about 'if he turned out to be untrustworthy- it would be a more compromising position for him, and she'd have a better chance of killing' or some other really disturbing reason that a little thing that looks like _a miniature six year old _should not have.

She was only as high as his forearm, so she didn't weigh much at all…but for someone who was bleeding- and had obviously been pinned to a tree for a while- she had a _fucking strong _grip.

"We are _going _to my people." The little fairy responded, kicking him in the butt with her bare foot….it seemed over the _hour _he'd spent walking with her (her giving directions and him following), it had become quite a hobby of the fairy's.

"And where _are _your people?" Stiles grumbled, stumbling over a rock and muttering curses under his breath.

"Where you're taking me of course." The fairy responded- and Stiles groaned, willing his patience to last just a little longer.

He shut up after that, walking for a long while, his back starting to strain- even under her weight. He just kept following all the calls of 'turn here' or 'three more steps- no, wait two!' and so. The forest was getting darker and darker- the sky and his phone- indicating the time was about 5pm.

He honestly wondered if the little thing was just _playing _with him, besides, he was supposed to be back home _hours _ago…was his dad getting worried? Probably. But then again- he always ran off to places with Scott without warning- so maybe not.

"How do you even know we're not going in circles?" Stiles asked, his voice probably sounding like a whiny child's. Not that he cared though. His feet hurt, he was thirsty and hungry…and this little _thing _was the most annoying creature, _including Peter Hale! _That he'd ever met!

"This is my _home _human! This is my place of being. I know every single _inch _of it- every single rock." The fairy growled, high and mighty, and kicked him in the butt again.

"But doesn't it change every day- with, like the wind and animals and stuff?" Stiles asked.

He got another, harsh, kick for that.

"Quiet. Keep walking!" she demanded- so he kept walking, but on the inside, he knew he'd won _this _round.

So they (or he, really) walked, and walked…and walked, until _finally _he was called to a halt.

"Wait. Stop. Here. Stand here." The little thing said, patting him on the hair over and over.

Well, at least it was better than the kicking. Maybe they were making some progress?

Then she kicked him, probably just for good measure.

Either way- where they had stopped (he hadn't really noticed it until then- to busy being angry at the little _brat _on his back)…it was breathtaking.

They were in a medium sized clearing- just enough for a camping ground, and directly cut off by a small stream trickling over pretty white rocks.

The clearing was surrounded by…mushrooms? Or toadstools? And mossy, old rocks.

And off to the side was the HUGEST freaking oak tree Stiles had ever seen in his life, like, it was probably as wide as a limousine was long…and taller than Stiles dared to look up- what with something alive and injured clinging to his back.

The tree was _covered _in moss and…toadstools? Okay, weird. But pretty.

Well, a giant, beautiful oak tree in the middle of a pine forest, that hadn't been flocked by locals as a 'must see' was also weird. But hey- it was Beacon Hills. Freaky things happened.

"This place…" Stiles breathed…taking in the canopy of leaves, the afternoon sun just twinkling in…the bright, almost energetic green of the moss and grass that covered almost _everything _in the clearing…the pretty little stream over the gleaming white rocks…"It's beautiful."

"Yeah it is." The fairy breathed, and for the first time- she sounded nice, sincere and not a snarky little sass-monster. She sounded full of love and warmth, and in that instant- Stiles knew this was her home.

"Sooo…" he started, and resisted the urge to lean up and scratch the back of his neck (considering he had a little fairy on his back- it was probably a bad idea), "Where are your- uhh…people? You called them your people, right?"

She made it sound like a gang. Huh, now Stiles was picturing her in a leather jacket and sunglasses. It was _hilarious!_

The fairy nodded-unaware of Stiles' imagination running awry.

"Yes- they're already here- they're just making sure it's _safe _first." She whispered into his ear.

Oh. Okay- that makes sense…so how does he show them it's safe?

Maybe he should convince them? Show them that he was a cool guy? Totally hip and awesome and stuff?

Stiles cleared his throat awkwardly, scrunching up his face.

"Uhhh, I won't hurt anyone- or you know. I don't have any bad intentions. I'm just trying to get this fairy on my back to someone who can help her." Stiles declared in a loud clear voice…feeling kind of stupid talking to a giant oak tree. But considering the encouraging nods he could feel his little companion giving- he seemed to be heading in the right direction.

"So- ahh. I didn't even know fairies existed before a few hours ago. I was actually going around screwing up some hunter's traps- because I didn't want any of my…my friends getting hurt- and then I found _your _friend and-"

Stiles was interrupted when a deep, and again indeterminate of accent, but distinctly female voice called out.

"_You _are the one who has been leaving the ironic childish human toys in those traps? Making those _fiends _so angry and confused?" it said, sounding surprised, and vaguely amused.

Stiles had no idea where the voice was coming from though…it seemed to be just coming from everywhere…like it was the entire _forest _speaking to him.

It made him grin though, thinking of his pranks.

_Yeah- _he was so awesome.

"Yup. I totally did? Why? Did they react badly? _Please _tell me they did!" Stiles was excited now, not really caring who, or what the voice was…as long as it had the info. Like the priceless looks on the hunters faces when they saw what he'd left them.

The voice chuckled, and it was kinda weird hearing a forest chuckle.

"Well- they were very confused. You say you did this to protect _friends_…who might they be?"

"Ahh…werewolves? Yeah- my best friend _constantly _gets caught in traps that _I _have to get him out of before hunters arrive and come chop him in half." Stiles sighed at the memories. But still felt a bit nervous…what was a fairy's take on werewolves anyway?

"Mmm. We don't much associate with those. But our kind, as you have obviously seen for yourself- can get caught in those traps as well. You've been doing us a great favour boy- I judge you safe." The voice sounded fond- but Stiles didn't have much time to ponder that, because suddenly, the groves and dips in the oak _opened._

Like, freaking _split _into an opening. A hole. Where a bunch of things came out.

_A bunch of things_, meaning metre-high naked winged creatures with flowers in their hair.

Seriously, what the fuck?

"Uhhh." Stiles said, just as the oak closed up again, right behind, probably…twenty- twenty five? Fairies.

They were all naked- and Stiles was trying to avoid looking at the little, miniature genitals as best as he could.

At least the fairy on his back had been _child _shaped- so it hadn't been awkward carrying her. Jesus.

These were all adults. With, like boobies and pee-pees and stuff.

Most of them had red hair…some brown or auburn, and green, blue or hazel eyes.

Their ears were pointy and their cheekbones high…their skin the colour of…curly fries? Yeah.

Their skin was painted with red, gold and purple body paint- intricate designs of birds and flowers, wind (like- how do you even _paint _wind?), eyes (?!), foxes and runes.

They all had wings too, mostly folded behind their backs. Some were feathered like birds', some viny like bats', see-through like bugs' and basically each fairy had wings linked to a different creature…he knew the fairy on his back had a pair like a dragonfly's.

They were quiet beautiful to look at once Stiles got over the whole nudity thing.

The fairy that most stood out, though, was standing out at the front- a few feet in front of the rest, smirking at him.

She had long, curly, _cherry _red hair that was weaved with blue-bells and violets. Her frame was small and skinny, but Stiles could see by her face and her dark honey eyes- that she was _old _– and not just 'When I was young I didn't even _have _a VCR' old either.

Unlike her comrades' who were heavily painted -her body was painted only once, a beautiful picture of a sleeping _dragon_ right on her thigh in golden paint.

Her wings…now they were definitely the most stunning…they were the wings of a _Sunset Moth _– by far one of the most beautiful winged creatures on the _planet_.

All these different colours-blue, orange, black, red…wow.

"Uhhh." Was all Stiles could think to say. He was both intimidated and definitely in love.

The beautiful fairy chuckled.

"May we please have Odette back? She needs to be tended to for that wing?" the intimidating fairy asked him, and in the same voice- the voice that was speaking to him from the forest.

"Odette?...Oh you mean! Yeah! Sure!" Stiles picked up the little fairy- Odette, off of his back and cradled him in his arms- she stuck her tongue out at him as he shifted her. He did the same in return. He was really gonna miss the little idiot.

A middle-aged looking male fairy with barn-own wings came forward, taking Odette out of Stiles' arms. He nodded his thanks and started fussing over her- carrying her over to the oak tree- which immediately _opened up _and swallowed them. Huh. They must have some weird secret fairy realm or some shit.

Well, see ya Odette.

That was a shot goodbye as goodbyes go.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Stiles asked, tearing his eyes away from the large oak.

Odette had been annoying, sure- but Stiles was still worried about her.

The beautiful fairy just laughed.

"Oh don't worry boy! That child gets into more trouble than you would believe! But…thank you, never the less- for helping her. The hunters are a nuisance, and you have proven to be a friend to our people." The fairy came forward then, and Stiles, being polite, knelt to her level.

"What is your name boy?" the fairy asked, staring intently at him with beautiful honey eyes- actually they were kind of like his own- so was it vain to think of them as beautiful?

"Stiles- Stiles Stilinski." Stiles replied, blinking at her.

"Well Stiles Stilinski- you have won a lot of allies today. The fairy people do not forget when they meet one as kind as you." The fairy smiled, her eyes lighting up and whole face happy.

"Uhhh, all I did was walk and follow directions." Stiles muttered, embarrassed and not really understanding why his actions were such a big deal.

"Yes- but to get her you would have had to walk for _hours _and with intent. You can't just get her off of a map Stiles Stilinski. This place is magic. You need to _prove _your worth before you can just enter our domain!" the fairy laughed and looked at him with _pride._

Huh. Really? He proved his worth? He spent hours arguing with a little brat and tripping over rocks? That was proving his worth?...Okay then."

The fairy suddenly looked serious, her eyes sparkling and her teeth flashing in a warm smile.

"It has been so _long _since a human has done that. I was only a child back then. My Gods I was only _Sixty!_" the fairies behind her laughed, but Stiles didn't get it…_Sixty _that was kinda a big number. Whatever…maybe they had like, a big lifespan or something?

The fairy looked at him, as he knelt in confused silence, and picked up both his hands in her small, soft ones.

"My name is Aubrianne- elected chair councillor of the Beacon Hills Fae people," wow- that sounded oddly modern, "and if you _ever _need help with something Stiles Stilinski- you just ask."

_Oh he was soooo getting the Fairy section in his Bestiary complete! Awesome._

**Sageandmilk:****  
**_So I did, like, minor amounts of research for fae names and I got:_

_Odette: "Elfin Spear" - 'cause I thought she was feisty_  
_Aubrianne: "Rules with elf-wisdom" - 'Cause she's wise and stuff._

_So, do I bring Odette back, Yes/ No?_

**P.S: Due to the replies and comments: Toby is on his way back- rejoice my pretties, rejoice!**


	8. Chapter 8: Money, money, money!

Chapter Eight: Money, Money, Money!

In Stiles' opinion- wealth wasn't a thing you should judge people on, like- he has a diamond and you have a rock, _who gives a shit, no judgement_.

But it _was _an important thing. And it sucked, that fact- the pure and utter truth, that money was terrifyingly tied to your general survival in life.

The Stilinskis had never really been rich like the Whittemores or the Martins, but they had been comfortable- it just meant they had to wear Target brands rather that designer clothes and Stiles drove a crappy jeep rather than a Porsche like Jackson.

So, yeah- comfortable, with all the necessities and even _most _homely luxuries.

But, unfortunately…in the recent months- the bank had been getting a bit _stubborn_. And Stiles kind of knew they were right too. It was time to pay up on mum's hospital bills- which they'd been avoiding for _years. _What with his dad's low wage and the amount of repairs Stiles had been paying to his jeep since Scott got bitten.

Ugh.

Another unfortunate thing, though- was the fact that they didn't actually have any money to pay the hospital bills with- and it's not like they could take out a loan- considering the bills themselves were initially paid that way, and now they owed the bank. You can't just take out a loan to pay a loan- that would just put them in even _more _debt and end out costing them _thousands…_not that they didn't already owe the bank thousands.

Jesus.

So, along with cutting back on everything like food (they had to order TAKE OUT now- since it was cheaper…what was gonna happen to his dad's arteries?!), gas- now he had to _walk _everywhere, and basic shopping- Stiles also…_God, _Stiles also had to get a _job_.

Gross.

And since you couldn't actually get a job in Beacon Hills without having _connections _(A.K.A: Being friends with the boss- or boss' children), the only job Stiles could get was working at _Café Beacon _with his barista friend Jane- who'd pulled some strings for him.

God, Stiles had to work in _costumer services._

Scott didn't see the problem, what with Stiles being sociable- but Stiles had tried to press upon him that he was actually only social…and actively non-hostile- to people he could _tolerate_. And small-town goers were some of the worst people in existence. Seriously, he grew up there- _he knew the evil._

"Would you _try _making your smile look less like you're in pain- and more like sunshine?" Jane complained, elbowing Stiles in the ribs on the way past to make something on one of the _numerous _machines.

Stiles didn't know how to work _anything_ so basically he just waited tables- or, as he was doing now- manned the front desk.

"But I am in pain- _so much pain._" Stiles stage-whispered, making sure none of the customers heard him…like last time- that had been _awkward_.

It was a full-house that afternoon- just after school on a _Friday _actually, and when Stiles rushed over for his shift- he was faced with dozens of teenagers, already placing orders for frappes and milkshakes and such.

Stiles hated after-school shift the most- mostly because it didn't smell as much like _coffee, _since a large majority decided they wanted to copy the movies and order milkshakes and sit around flirting.

Stiles loved the smell of coffee- it was one of the only perks to the job, and he _hated _the people who took it away from him.

Stiles groaned, and managed to sneak in a glare at a pair of _loud _girls- complaining about some guy called Adam hitting on them. Hey- if he got hit on, he'd be freaking _flattered_- and it was kind of obvious with how _loud _they were talking- that they wanted everyone to know just how awesome and hot they were.

"Oh my God- stop moping and go wait some tables." His co-worker Jimmy came up and handed him a notepad, taking his place in front of the counter.

"If you're sad at the counter- everyone can see you and it reflects badly on the café." Jimmy stated, and pushed him towards the tables, booths and couches- and by association _teenagers_.

Why, Jimmy, why would you do this?

Stiles sighed, accepting his doom, and squared his shoulders- getting ready to smile, recite and _please_.

He started by walking to the couch and table in the corner- full of freshmen- they were talking loudly and Stiles could tell that they were ready to order just from the way some of them glanced around the room every now and then- checking for service.

Stiles positioned himself at the edge of the table, "Hello- I'm Stiles and I'll be your waiter today- are you ready to order?"

And that's how it went, on and on and _on_.

"See ya Jane!" Stiles called once into the back, not really waiting for an answer as he grabbed his hoodie and freaking _raced _out the door- so happy be out of that hell-hole.

To think he used to enjoy that place!...Oh well, at least it paid pretty good.

Stiles' house was actually pretty far away from work- but he'd figured using up fuel would just waste _more _money- so walking was, even though irritating, a good option.

It was cold though, and by the time Stiles had walked two blocks his teeth were chattering- his body and mind tired from the earlier shift.

Oh well, it wasn't like there was anything he could do about it.

So he kept walking, freezing his ass off and wondering if, next time, he could get Scott to lend him his bike- just so it'd be easier to get home.

The streets were lit by overhanging lights, obviously- but even as Stiles walked- the afternoon light was getting darker and darker and he soon felt, you know…_a bit _unsafe?

But it wasn't like it was irrational or anything. Because in all fairness- Beacon Hills had to be the most fucking messed up town in existence- like, seriously- how hadn't people freaked out and _moved away _by now. People had been _ritually sacrificed, _like that was a pretty fair indicator that all was not well in this quaint little town. What were they waiting for? A fucking announcement?

Ah well, even if Stiles was feeling a bit edgy- the rational part of his brain told him that it was probably unlikely another weird supernatural creature was gonna come out and eat a waiter out in the _open_. Like, it would at least wait until he was all alone and, well- technically these streets were empty so he was alone, but that wasn't-

"Stiles!" a voice called out, interrupting his inner rationalisation of safety.

Huh- the voice sounded oddly familiar.

Stiles whipped around, almost falling down on his butt, since the sidewalk was cold and slippery.

There, sitting in his _beautiful _car- like seriously, that car was _niiiiice_-, window down, was Derek Hale- classic bitchface expression too.

"Yo' Derek!" Stiles saluted in greeting- the just as quickly- waved and turned around- wanting to get home before his balls fell off.

But almost as soon as he started walking, he heard Derek getting out of the car behind him- jogging to catch up…not that a werewolf really _needed _to do much to catch up to a human.

"Hey- stop." Derek grunted, walking next to Stiles and matching his pace.

Stiles kept walking. He needed to get home and go to bed- he was _so _freaking tired.

He couldn't deal with Hale tonight. Not his voice. Not his growls…and not his stupidly perfect face that was always either freaking _frowning, _or smirking.

So he kept walking.

"_Stop_." Okay- well, it wasn't like he could go anywhere when Derek was _holding him in place by his shoulders. _Huh- Stiles _had _noticed in the last few months, especially with the Darach thing…Derek actually wasn't afraid of physical contact any more.

Good for him…or something.

"Derek I gotta go _home_." Stiles whined, rolling his eyes- and with difficulty, glaring at Derek at the same time. What? He couldn't help it. The dude was naturally suspicious.

"Why are you walking alone in the cold- far away from your house?" Derek asked, leaning away and crossing his arms. The dude didn't _sound _angry- but you never know what emotion a person permits right before they slaughter an innocent plaid-fanatic teen.

"I'm walking home from work." Stiles made it sound like it was the most obvious thing in the world, rolling his eyes and looking at Derek like he was stupid.

Why did the dude care anyway? It wasn't like they'd ever actually _spoken _outside of the supernatural.

But…Stiles had often thought what it would actually be like if they did.

Turns out it's fucking annoying as Hell.

"You have a _job_?" Derek raised an eyebrow- and did that little 'I am better than thou' smirk he always used when he thought he was being funny.

"Yes Derek I have a job- I'm a waiter at Café Beacon. Now, I'm walking home- _If you don't mind_." Stiles stressed- annoyed. He had no time for werewolf bullshit tonight. The Friday shift had taken a lot out of him. He was cold, and tired- and Derek smelled nice. Wait that- the last one was a good thing…never mind.

Derek frowned, looking like he was trying to figure a puzzle out.

"Why aren't you driving home in your Jeep then? It's a long way to walk."…was that a question? Like, actually conversation? Not involving threats? Hallelujah! A miracle!

"I walk to save gas money." Stiles mumbled, looking down at his toes as he felt his cheeks heat in embarrassment.

It wasn't like he was ashamed of their situation, but he'd seen Derek's loft…that place _had _to have cost some serious dough. And Derek wasn't someone who _wouldn't _use this against him.

"I- so you're walking to save money?" Derek asked…he didn't sound mocking. Actually, he sounded quiet- uncomfortable, like he was in a crappy situation.

Stiles nodded, not feeling like getting angry- he was too tired.

"In the cold?"

Another nod.

"On your own?"

More nodding, yay!

Derek nodded himself, looking decisive.

"Yep, okay- you're coming with me." And at that- he gripped Stiles by the hood and dragged him towards the Camaro.

'Woh, woh, woh! Hey! I'll shout kidnap!" Stiles warned, and started fighting as Derek pulled him towards the car.

The dude just huffed and rolled his eyes.

"I'll- I- Scott'll kill you! And Dad! And…uh, I don't really know if banshees can, like, kill people or not- But Lyds will get Aiden to kill you! So you better let me go!"

All the while Stiles was complaining, Derek didn't really seem to mind- already having put the boy in the passenger seat and clicked on the seatbelt.

Stiles would've tried harder to fight, of course…but the dude was a freaking _werewolf _and in his case- mind was better than body. So, protesting was the better option.

"You know! Killing me will be totally bad for your soul!" Stiles reminded, as Derek hopped in and started up the engine.

"I mean- just _look_ what it did to Peter- the dude is freaking _creepy _and-"

"Stiles, I'm not going to kill you." Derek sighed- not taking his eyes off of the road as he started to pull out and drive.

He's…not?

"Oh. Okay." Stiles mumbled- staring at Derek warily.

Derek sighed loudly, and quite dramatically.

"I'm taking you home- before you get hypothermia." He stated.

Ohhh!

That…actually made sense.

"Is this, like- some kind of plan to get all goody-goody with Scott, by- like, helping his best friend or something?" Stiles asked- confused.

Derek snorted and shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure Scott wouldn't fall for something as cheap as that. Besides- Scott's naturally trusting- if I wanted to be 'goody-goody' with him- I already would be." Derek was smirking.

"Uhh- then why aren't you? You know- true Alpha is a good connection to have and all." Stiles muttered, staring at Derek as he drove.

"I don't want to force a friendship Stiles. Besides, we already have an alliance of sorts- and that's all I ask for." Derek went silent, just watching the road.

Huh. Well, Stiles guessed Scott and Derek did kind of have and alliance…and him too. Whenever trouble arose- they always seemed to end out fighting it together anyway- no-matter the trust issues.

Stiles sat a while, watching the houses pass by and thought to himself about all the things they'd gone through together.

They stayed silent for a few moments- before Derek spoke again.

"Stiles?" He asked. His voice wasn't rough, or demanding- or heartbreakingly sad like all the voices Stiles was used to using. It was soft, almost wary.

"Yeah?" Stiles answered, using a lighter tone than one he'd usually use with Derek- sensing the topic they were going into was gonna be a serious one.

"Why did you get a job? And why are you worried about saving money on gas?"

That…that question was what Stiles was hoping to avoid with people like Derek.

He told Scott, Lydia, Allison, Isaac and the rest…but some of the kids at school would've picked on him for it…and he didn't know whether or not Derek would too.

It was Stiles' turn to sigh long and loud.

Whatever- if Derek picked on him- he'd just hire the twins to go and beat him up.

"I uh…My dad and I have to pay the bank back for mum's medical bills-" Derek eyebrows shot up, "And plus all of the jeep repairs that have happened the past year- _and _the fact that being a county sheriff doesn't actually pay much…we've had to…Uhh, cut back on some stuff. And I've had to get a job."

Stiles sunk down in the leather seat- waiting for the wolf's response.

"Is your mum in hospital somewhere?" Derek asked, sounding soft- but his hands were gripping the steering wheel tight.

Stiles cleared his throat- feeling a wave of grief and memories flood him- but pushed them down…considering the present company.

"N-no. She-she, ahh, died when I was eight…" Derek's face grew _sad, _accepting? Huh- Stiles really wouldn't have thought the dude would've cared.

"We just…had a lot of loans...you know, to pay for. So yeah." Stiles finished weakly- feeling like he was opening up too much. Like he should go back- zip his mouth shut. Reboot. Restart. Shut up.

Derek nodded sadly…and, not in the mean sarcastic way Peter would have either. Like- genuinely.

"I'm sorry." Derek stated softly, and Stiles found himself wondering how he ever thought this man was capable of harming him.

Huh...

**Sageandmilk:**

So, due to the comments:  
Toby shall be back!  
Odette and the fairies shall be back!  
Yaaay!  
But...not in this chapter :(


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

Claudia Stilinski had always used the words _"King Face/ Queen Face" _to describe a happy person's face. She did this because, as she saw it- if someone walked in the room, looking as if they cared about nothing, owned the world- and had a shit-eating grin on their face- they were probably feeling like the King of the world.

Stiles, as he walked into work on Saturday morning for his shift, suspected he had quite a King Face showing.

"Why're you so happy today Stiles?" Jane asked, and by both her expression and her voice, she was _definitely _smug.

"Why would I be happy? I'm at work." Stiles muttered, setting down his back-pack behind the bench and pulling on his name tag whilst simultaneously scoping the place for customers.

As usual on a Saturday morning, the place was full, and the bane of Stiles' existence.

Jane looked at him, and raised an eyebrow, "Stilinski- I _can _see your face. You're glowing. Did you get _laid_!?" her face scrunched up in mock-horror.

"What? No! I-_what_?!" Stiles flustered…which, come on! You'd expect that reaction from any average teenage virgin!

Though- it would be nice to get laid. It had never happened to him, sure- but he _assumed _it would be nice.

"You _didn't?_ Hmmm…what _did _you do then? Because you're awfully happy Stiles, and you're never happy on a Saturday shift." Jane was leaning in close, he gossip-loving nature reminding him a lot of Lydia Martin.

Stiles…okay, so Stiles _may _have woken up on the right side of the bed that morning…

And the reason…

"C'mon tell me!" Jane insisted, shaking Stiles by the shoulders and smiling evilly.

"Okay, Okay!" Stiles relented.

"Jesus, give me some time!" he complained, rubbing his shoulders- sore from where Jane had shaken them.

Jane crossed her arms and waited, quirking her eyebrows and tilting her hip- the perfect picture of a gossip girl.

"Okay, so. You know, like, those conversations you can have with someone…where, you don't necessarily have to talk about all that much- but it just, like, makes you feel better and happier afterwards because it was such a…I don't know, good conversation?" Stiles asked, and Jane nodded- still waiting for her explanation.

Stiles took a deep breath and continued.

"Well- I, ugh, I had one of those with this guy last night-" Jane started giggling and Stiles glared her into silence, he needed to get this over with!

"And- I mean, I thought that we hated each other, you know? Or at least that he hated me…thought I was annoying and stupid and all that jazz. But, the talk we had…the stuff that we talked about- it, I don't know…showed he cared, I guess? So…yeah, I'm just happy 'cause of that." Stiles was feeling _incredibly _awkward, mainly because it was Derek Hale he was talking about- and even though Jane didn't know that…it still annoyed him that these…feelings, were even occurring!

Like, a guy he's hated for ages, is nice to him for _one second _– and he…he gets these _feelings. _Ugh.

He really didn't need to be worrying about that anyway! He had a Saturday morning shift!

Stiles' Bestiary was actually going along pretty damn well. He'd got the werewolf thing pretty down-pat, and even then he was constantly adding to it after learning new things from Derek, Peter and Scott.

The Vampire section, courtesy of Toby, was also quite large…though he kind of wanted it filled up _just _a bit more, since it mostly had info on nice vamps like the one he'd met and not the _Demon Vamps_ that he'd heard Derek and Toby talking about so much. Then again, he really didn't want to actually meet one of those, so first-hand info would be pretty impossible to acquire on that.

He'd also met up with Aubrianne and a few old looking fairies she called 'the councilmen', to discuss fairy law and mythology…They'd even, after discussion of secrecy, let him take photographs and personal statements. Though, Odette's statement went along the lines of "The Fae are awesome, humans are vile- go suck a toadstool."

So, the fairy section was pretty well filled, and he'd even scheduled a few more sessions…more because he actually _liked _the company of the fae , than for the bestiary. They were kind of a mixture between Tinkerbelle- feisty, mischievous and wicked…and also what you'd typically expect; one with nature, closely-knit and _extremely _wise.

Three down…every other mythical creature in the world to go!

Stiles had been typing it all up on his laptop- uploading the pictures and placing them in the text. He'd already written pages upon pages, and noticed that, the more he wrote- the _better_ and more descriptive he became, and therefore he actually had to go back and add detail to his previous entries.

Stiles also tried to, with much difficulty; keep his personal comments out of the bestiary. Thinking things like "Kanima claws to the neck sting like a _sonofabitch_" probably weren't necessary.

So, Saturday night, as he finished up typing some more info on the Fae, he drew the conclusion that, yes, he was the _master _of the Bestiary…but eventually, he was probably going to have to go _looking _for these creatures soon- instead of finding them by accident, and that notion scared the shit out of him.

Stiles sighed, still stuck deep in his thoughts, and closed his laptop so that he could get ready to sleep.

He had a big day of destroying hunter's traps tomorrow and he needed all the rest he could get, regardless of his brain.

But as he lay his head down on the pillow, still totally awake, his phone vibrated and the screen lit up.

**_1 new text message_**

Deciding it was probably just Scott or something, Stiles decided to check it before getting some shut-eye.

**From: Vlad the Friendly Vampire**

**_Hi Stiles._**


	10. Chapter 10: Lab-partners

Chapter Ten:

"Hey," Stiles whispered, leaning over to talk to Scott.

They were sitting together in chem, copying notes from the whiteboard about why TNT was such a popular explosive. Stiles honestly didn't know how one teacher could make TNT so boring. There could _at least _be a diagram of an explosion or something! But no- just chemicals and bonds.

"Yeah?" Scott answered, not looking up from his notebook- which he was scribbling in furiously. Scott had _really _bad hand writing.

"Toby texted me." Stiles whispered, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Yeah?!" Scott asked excitedly, turning away from his work- his voice rising a bit.

"What did he want?" see- this is why Scott was Stiles' best friend- he was just as excited about these things as Stiles was!

"He wanted to _talk_- said he missed me." Stiles grinned and Scott grinned back.

"Dude you are _so _in!" Scott fist-bumped with Stiles- but the glory didn't last long, not when the teacher- Mr. Russell, had turned around with a beady-eyed glare.

"McCall, Stilinski." He sighed, putting down his white-board marker to go and walk over to the boys.

"Ohhhh!" the class went- as they always did when Stiles and Scott got in trouble.

"Why is it, in every class you two _insist _on conversing so _loudly _hmm?" Russell was peaking over his glasses, looking smug- like catching students in the act of conversation was the best kind of high.

Scott and Stiles both shrugged in an exaggerated way- their natural reaction to being caught out by a teacher.

"Meridian- McCall. Switch!" Russell demanded, nodding his head to both Scott and Holly Meridian- a pretty, Native American girl that Stiles had only had one or two conversations with _ever_- despite living in the same town with her his whole life.

Scott grumbled and muttered the entire way as he slumped over to the seat Holly had previously taken up- plonking himself down next to some dude with a really creepy smile and a lazy eye.

Holly smiled and waved shyly as she took her place, sitting next to Stiles.

Stiles shifted in his seat- uncomfortable. He wasn't really good around people he didn't talk to…and this girl had a _look_ in her eyes- kind of like that look Allison had. Hot and dangerous.

Mr Russell smiled sadistically, like he could sense Stiles' discomfort- and moved back to the front of class, clearing his throat in the overly-dramatic way he always did right before an announcement.

"Now class- take a good look at the person sitting next to you." Oh no- NO! Stiles knew what was coming!

"This person is going to be your lab partner for the rest of this semester."

Stiles and Holly stared at each other…

…

Shit.

"Home sweet home." Stiles declared as he opened the door and ushered Holly inside, away from the biting cold.

They'd decided it was easier to just get an early start on their project- and that Stiles' house was the easiest since Holly lived out in the woods miles away from school. Apparently her parents were 'really one with nature' or something. But she'd looked funny when she'd said it- like it was some kind of inside joke.

Whatever.

"Wow- your bedroom is…uh…" Holly commented as they entered through the door and into Stiles' room- Stiles room that was full of crime scene photos, lycanthropy books…and a shitload of mind-maps pinned all over the walls.

Books on mythology were piled up along the walls, taking up a lot of room, as well as random scrolls, maps and weird little trinkets he'd borrowed from Deaton to study.

His bedroom looked like some weird medieval fantasy bombshell.

"Uhh- I'm a really dedicated dungeons and dragons LARPer?" Stiles shrugged and went over to his desk, sitting down and opening his laptop.

He didn't miss the raised eyebrows he got from Holly.

"So- ahh, let's get started then, shall we?" Stiles asked awkwardly and Holly just rolled her eyes- reminding him very much of Cora.

So, they spent the next hour and a half going over what they knew about chemical formulas in beauty products, and researching even further into the science of it.

They argued too- for a moment, when Stiles wanted to extend the research into Listerine- but Holly wanted to go into perfume instead- eventually Holly won though, after she glared at Stiles and almost made him piss his pants.

The girl was scary! She had these _eyes. _Like, dark brown…and somehow almost red? In any case they were creepy as hell. And for some reason- her perfectness- her tall, thin, body and flawless tanned skin…it made it _worse._

"You know, you're kind of scary." Stiles blurted out from where he was lying belly-up on his bed- Holly was typing away at his laptop, in his desk chair- and he was lazing around reading books.

"Yeah?" Holly asked swivelling the chair around- she looked amused, her eyes glittering.

"Yeah- you've got this whole Alpha female thing going on- it's very intimidating." Stiles said truthfully, grinning at her.

Holly chuckled and opened her mouth to say something- but then froze tense- her head snapping towards the window.

"Holly?" Stiles asked, setting his book down, confused at the sudden stop.

Suddenly Stiles heard a noise- and he too snapped his head towards his window- which was slowly sliding up.

Holly was up on her feet and growling- freaking _growling_- by the time _Derek Hale_ made his way in through the window.

"Hey Stiles I need you to-" Derek stopped his introduction, suddenly sniffing, and then he stiffened, muscles going taught as he slowly turned his head towards Holly.

He growled and his eyes turned red as rubies.

Holly growled back and flashed amber-orange eyes and- seriously!? Can someone in Stiles' life be human?! Please?!

"What the fuck?" Stiles asked, looking back and forth between Derek and Holly, noticing the way the room had become tense with hostility.

Derek stepped forward teeth and claws at the ready, looking likely to lunge- and Stiles freaking _leaped _in front of him.

"Oh no! You Hale, are not killing a high school girl, nope!" Stiles complained, pushing against Derek's shoulders until he backed down, retracting his fangs and claws- but not his red eyes.

Stiles whipped around to the still growling Holly.

"And you miss! You're a werewolf too?" He accused, pointing his index finger harshly at her.

Holly looked…insulted?

"Oh my God, _ew_! No! I'm a Were-Coyote! Jesus! Werewolves are gross." She poked her lounge out at Derek and flicked her long black hair behind her shoulder elegantly.

A…what now?

"_Werewolves _are the gross ones?! Are you serious! I'll have you know that-" Derek started growling when Stiles slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Calm down- or I'm kicking you out." Stiles warned, glaring at the Alpha.

Derek glared back, but nodded, and when Stiles withdrew his hand- he kept his mouth shut.

"So..." Stiles started, a thousand thoughts swimming in his head, "Were-Coyotes?"


	11. Chapter 11: Textin' Toby

Chapter Eleven:

**_1 new message, received at: _****_7pm Monday_**

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Hey, how was school? :)_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Weird. _

_Hey- do you know anything about Were-Coyotes?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Oddly specific._

_Yes I do_

_Why?_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_I got one as my lab partner- her name's Holly_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Is she okay- not, like, gonna tear your throat out or anything?_

_Wow! you can never catch a break in your town huh?_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_I know!_

_Yeah, she's fine- just a bit feisty- so, what do you know about them?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Well…I know they worship the moon as a goddess_

_And they don't go all crazy on the full moon like your friend Derek- so that's a plus :)_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Toby- be nice._

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_:( - anyway- they get like super calm on the full moon…really concentrated_

_ Like they've taken a bunch of Adderall or something _

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_I know that feel bro_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_?_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Diagnosed with ADHD when I was 7_

_Adderall is like a morning hug_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Oh- that sucks_

_Kind of explains you a lot though_

_In a good way!_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_:)_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_So, how are your wolf friends doing?_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Haven't slaughtered any innocent woodland creatures in a week! New record!_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Hah!_

_Now I feel bad I didn't use that one to insult Derek with :( _

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_You'll live!_

_Why do you guys hate each other so much anyway?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Conflict that goes back to the dawn of time_

_…_

_Wow that sounded really cheesy_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_It really, really did_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_But seriously! We've had our fair share of great wars!_

_And whenever a vamp meets a wolf…there's usually a fight._

_There's even some wolf gangs devoted to going out and bashing up vamps_

_It's kind of like two biker gangs that DO NOT get along_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Wow- that sounds bad_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Yeah- but my family is against all that_

_We don't like the conflict_

_In modern society- vamps and werewolves have really come to terms…_

_But some of us still fight and go after each other_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Wait- if you're so, pro-werewolf…_

_What was with all the dog-jokes you aimed at Derek?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_That wasn't a wolf thing._

_That was just cuz I didn't like him._

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_What? He wears duchy leather jackets_

_…_

_ and tries to make me stay away from you :(_

_You can't blame me for not liking him! _

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Such a romantic, oh how I swoon!_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Was that sarcasm?_

_That was sarcasm wasn't it!_

_That's it- I'm totally gonna go and find another human to prey upon!_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_I'm sorry Toby come baaaack!_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_No- you hurt my delicate levels of self-esteem._

_:'(_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Awww! Is the widdle vampire upset?_

_Gone to go sulk in his coffin?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_I have no clue how I ever liked you._

_ I revoke all the compliments. _

_ALL THE COMPLIMENTS!_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Noo! I want the compliments!_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Then say you're sorry!_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Never!_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Then no compliments for you!_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Okay, okay!_

_I'm so very very very very very very very very_

_Very very very very very very very_

_VERY_

_Sorry._

_:)_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_That must have hurt to text out…_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Nah- iPhone has copy-paste_

_NOW DO I GET MY COMPLIMENTS BACK!?_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_*hands compliments back*_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_*cheers loudly*_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_:)_

_Arg I gotta go! _

_Family stuff. _

_Talk soon?_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Talk soon!_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Goodnight!_

**_To Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Goodnight Toby 3_

**_From Vlad the friendly Vampire:_**

_Goodnight Stiles 3_

**Sageandmilk:**

I just thought of this whole epic plot line for Toby and such! AHHHH I have to start writing! I AM FREAKING OUT! Anyway thanks for reading!


	12. Chapter 12: Family Dinner

Chapter Twelve:

It was a Friday night, and Stiles was going over to Holly's house for dinner.

The two teenagers had come to an arrangement of sorts. See, Holly was _horrible _at anything involving numbers, A.K.A: maths and Science. So, since she was Stiles' partner in chemistry- they'd come to the agreement that, if Stiles did basically all the work for the semester- she'd help him with the Coyote part of his bestiary, and even introduce him to her family- who were all Were-Coyotes.

So there Stiles sat at the Meridian family table- eating a hearty meal of Spaghetti and meat-balls- something Stiles refused to let his father eat, and by association himself, so it was like _heaven_.

"So you're planning on writing a bestiary eh boy?" Mr Meridian, Holly's father, asked. Stiles had met him before…the dude owned the local music store- and his mum used to go over there all the time to buy new bass-stings.

"Well, I've already started actually- filled in a few sections too- but I'm trying to work off of things I learn from the people, or creatures themselves- since most of the bestiaries I've read tend to lie. So I want to do more of a meet-and greet, rather than researching online and writing from what I read."

Stiles felt extremely awkward. Every member of Holly's family- including her little sister, was staring at him _intently_…making him feel like he was in a den of wolves, or more correctly, Coyotes. He didn't think Holly's family liked him very much- or at least didn't trust him to an extent where they would _step staring._

The only family member who didn't look creepy and slightly vicious- was Holly's grandmother sitting across from him, who they said to just call "Ali". She was smiling at him sweetly- like he was some nice, young man, whom he knew he certainly wasn't...especially not these days.

"Mm, and how far could you have possible gotten in this bestiary of yours if you need to meet all the things you're documenting on?" Mr Meridian chuckled mockingly, reminding Stiles heavily of the way Chris Argent had been a few months back. Except that Mr Meridian had facial hair- and Stiles would _love _to see Mr Argent pull that off.

"Well," Stiles started lightly, placing his fork down, "So far I've documented on Werewolves, Kanimas, Darach, Vampires, Fae…a little bit on this Wraith we had a run in with- but she really didn't stop to chat, and I was hoping to get your help on the Coyote part."

Stiles looked around the table- feeling smug, like he'd trumped the stuck-up man.

There were wide eyes and open mouths all around; Holly, her mother, father and little sister looking at him shocked. Holly's Grandma Ali, though- was laughing her head off, and smiling bright…weird old woman.

"You've… met a fairy?" Mrs Meridian, a beautiful, long-haired woman with _burning _eyes, asked- looking sceptical.

HAH! Stiles would show her!

"Yeah- I helped one out of a hunter's trap and then walked for _hours _and winded up in this weird secret location that only trustworthy people can get to… or something. They really didn't explain the logistics of it very clearly, other than _'blah, blah, proven your worth, blah'_- either way it was pretty exhausting." Stiles went back to eating, but could still feel the eyes of the entire family on him.

"Vampires?" Holly's sister Macy asked, wide eyed with childish wonder.

"Uh- yeah," Stiles set his fork down again, accepting the fact that he was _obviously _about to get a lot of questions, "I met one when I was walking through the woods. He's nice- his name's Toby- though I don't know if stealing blood bags from the local hospital is necessarily a _nice _thing- but it's better than killing people for it." Stiles shrugged.

"Kanima?" Mr Meridian asked, and even he'd lost his fierce look- just looking awed and interested.

"Yeah- Alpha bite gone wrong with that one." Stiles shivered at the memories.

They spent the rest of the dinner just…asking questions;

_How did you fight this?_

_What does a REAL Darach look like?_

_How can a human know so much?_

Etcetera, etcetera.

The attention was making Stiles feel a bit nervous- especially the weird, proud smile Holly's grandma kept sending his way- like all his accomplishments were some awesome thing she'd helped with.

The woman was _creeeeepy_.

In the end, he diverted the topic towards the Coyote- and the law behind it, taking a notebook out so that he could later write in his bestiary.

Most of his notes were pretty straight forward; Coyote's don't have a beta-form- they're more like shape-shifters, they worship the moon, they have to be born- not bitten, most of the bitten families are Native-American or NA descendants, etc.

All-in all, it was a pretty informative, and completely awkward dinner- and Stiles, once he and Holly made their way upstairs and into Holly's bedroom, was relieved it was over.

"Okay Stilinski, work your magic." Holly declared- pointing over to her desk, as she herself moved over to a rack of CD's in the corner.

Holly's room was a lot neater than Stiles'. The walls were painted in pretty greens, greys and whites, and with the fuzzy white carpet and the crochet white bedspread- it almost gave the room a snowy feel- and a very natural one.

There were the typical necessities of a modern-day American teen too- such as the iPod and iPod dock, laptop, band posters- CD rack- classic Vinyl collection…and _Batman _action figure line up? Awesome!

Stiles sat at the old wooden desk and got to work- typing slower than usual since Holly had a mac, and Stiles really had no idea how to work the layout on those things.

"You want some music put on?" Holly asked from her position scanning the CD rack.

"Yeah- what 'cha got?" Stiles shot back- not taking his eyes off of the task of figuring out _how the hell _to use the incredibly frustrating Apple product.

"Uh- let's see…I got _Nirvana, The Smiths, The Smashing Pumpkins, Yes, Led Zeppelin, Rush, King Crimson, Jimmy Eat World, The Killers, _first few albums of _Metallica, Ed Sheeran, Queen, Foo Fighters, Tenacious D- _I could keep going, maybe you should just tell me your genera preference?" Holly sounded embarrassed- like her music preferences embarrassed her…which it shouldn't- Stiles didn't really care whether someone listened to The Wiggles- or preferred Black Metal- as long as they were a cool guy.

Besides, Stiles liked most of the bands she'd picked out anyway.

"Okay- uhh- let's go _The Killers_." Stiles declared, trying to recall a band from Holly's list, turning around in his chair to smile at her. It wasn't every day you got to bond over music after all.

Holly smiled at him, "Cool. Which album?" She asked, scrolling through her iPod to look through the bands.

"Oh- _definitely _Hot Fuzz – that's not even a question." Stiles said- maybe a bit too loud, but Holly giggled- as if she agreed. Hmm- maybe she wasn't so scary after all.

They spent the next while just listening to music- Holly texting, and Stiles typing away on the mac. It was comfortable, and every now and again they found themselves bonding over the music that was surrounding them.

_In reference to a Rush Song: _"Oh my God! Geddy Lee could blow your ear-drums out with how high he sings!- wait, is that worse since you have supernatural hearing?"

_In reference to an Ed Sheeran song: _" You know- I cried the first time I head this. Like, this is sad shit right here."

And on and on they went- slowly forming a friendship.

Holly was a tiny bit distracted though- she was texting someone, and when Stiles asked about it, she told him all about her boyfriend Drew, who lives in Canada and that they _always _Skype on the full-moon.

Then, after Stiles had almost completed a large portion of the assignment- he had a sudden horrible realisation; Danny and Allison were his only human friends.

God fucking damn.

**Sageandmilk:**

I'm sorry! Longer chapter up next I PROMISE! But this one is more of a filler, for there is **_gargantuan_**** of plot that is about to hit. You have been warned readers. ****_You have been warned!_**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen:

Boredom was a poison, it was like…something you hated while you had it, but at the same time, dreaded the fact that you only had a limited time of it- constantly knowing that it wasn't going to last, that schoolwork or chores would come, and then you'd be begging for boredom!

Boredom was the bane of Stiles' very existence, and at eight am on Saturday morning (yes he was up early- he'd had a good night's sleep, so what?!), he was running out of options.

His dad was out on a weekend shift clearing up some paperwork, so he'd tried calling Scott to come hang out. But no luck there- Scott was with Allison, taking her to go officially meet his dad , which was probably gonna end in tears…and blood. He'd contemplated calling Isaac too, since the two of them had actually grown pretty close over their general hatred in society… but Stiles was kind of still a bit too awkward to pluck up the courage and ask to hang with him.

He couldn't work on his bestiary either, because being the over-excited teen he was, he'd already worked so much on it that there was literally nothing more that he could add without acquiring more information, and although he was bored, something like that would take time.

So…basically he was doomed to a day full of NOTHING, nothing at all.

Well, that was what he thought was gonna happen- but then Toby, lovely, awesome, dimple-cheeked Toby – saved him.

**1 new message, received: 8:17 am, Saturday**

**From Vlad the friendly Vampire:**

You busy today?

**To Vlad the friendly Vampire:**

Hi!

No…Why?

Toby didn't answer for a few minutes, and Stiles just stared at his phone, feeling more and more put out as the time went by. Why had Toby texted him if he didn't want to talk?

He was only there waiting for a little while though, because then he heard the doorbell ring- a welcome distraction!

Probably just some package being delivered or something, it wasn't like he had any friends coming to visit him.

Stiles sighed and raced downstairs, only feeling slightly self-conscious that he was shirtless and wearing a pair of low-hanging track-pants. If these people were knocking on the door of the Stilinski household then they could deal with the consequences, god dammit!

"Yeah?" Stiles asked as he opened the front door, letting the chilly air rush in.

"Hey." Toby greeted with a little wave and a toothy smile.

…

Stiles slammed the door in his face. Yes, it probably wasn't the most controlled reaction, but come on! It was a shocking appearance.

Stiles breathed slowly, leaning his bare back against the door and counting to ten- but, realising he was leaving Toby waiting out in the cold, he decided he should probably open the door and face the embarrassment of what he just did.

So, he slowly creeped the door open, peaking behind it- using it to shield himself , then stepped from out behind it and out onto the porch, closing it behind him awkwardly.

"Ahh, surprise?" Toby declared, with jazz hands, looking awkward as hell- but still hot.

He was standing there, wind-swept chestnut hair, torn black jeans, heavy navy coat and a blush. Well- at least he was embarrassed too.

"What are you doing here?" Stiles asked or, well, squeaked- since he was still kind of getting over the shock.

Toby didn't answer, instead he was…staring? Yep he was definitely staring, and at Stiles too. More specifically, he kept bouncing his eyes back and forth between dip of his neck and definition of his collarbones- and the hair above the line of his hips. He saw Toby's Adam's apple bob as he swallowed- still staring.

Oh, Stiles wasn't wearing a shirt! Shit.

Stiles blushed and covered his chest, crossing his arms- and watched as Toby broke out of his trance- his eyes breaking contact and falling to the ground, as he himself blushed- looking flustered and ashamed.

Did Stiles do that? He couldn't have! His body wasn't…well, he had beefed up a bit- gotten abs and well defined shoulders, but- no-one really looked at him like that. Ever. It felt really good. Confidence booster or something…

"So ahh, "Stiles coughed, "Sorry for slamming the door in your face- I was just, confused? But, ah, why are you here?" it was so, so awkward.

Toby looked up, smiling a bit, "I- um, you said you weren't busy…and I'm back in town so I kind of wanted to take you out today…if you don't mind that is?"

Stiles felt his heart speed up and jump out of his chest- and knew Toby could hear it too.

"Like, on a date?" Stiles asked, his voice high.

"If that would be okay?" Toby looked hopeful, but more confident than before.

"Yeah- no- I, tha-that would be cool! I, just…I just have to get changed first? 'Cause you know it's kind of cold and…" Stiles looked down at his half-naked self, gesturing.

Toby looked for a moment, then shook his head, quickly diverting his eyes, "Yeah- I, yeah it's probably not a good idea to distract me like that." He said, with a smirk.

"Distrac- okay, you know what? I'm just going to go get changed and pointedly not think about that." Stiles responded with a blush and a smile, hovering by the door a bit.

He waved to Toby and raced upstairs, clumsily tripping on his way and almost knocking over several photographs. He was sure Toby probably heard- whatever, if he was willing to go on a date with a dork, it was his choice!...And Stiles' joy.

When Stiles got to his closet though, he didn't know what to wear! Should he wear his usual plaid and chinos getup? Then again…Toby did seem to actually be attracted to him- and that had made Stiles feel ridiculously good within himself.

So…maybe he could be a bit more outgoing? Not for Toby, he wasn't the type to wear something just to impress someone…although that in itself had its perks. But, the look the vamp had given him on the porch, it had actually made him, confidant? Yeah. So maybe he could wear better clothes today- not hide himself away from everyone like he usually did with all the plaid and baggy hoodies.

Good clothes. He would wear good clothes!

Stiles usually never wore the stuff he was putting on…but that was because he didn't actually think he looked good enough to.

Tight, dark blue skinny jeans that Lydia had bought months back and he had since been kept at the back of his closet. And…a dark red Henley, that he'd have never have filled out a few months ago- but he had been working out a bit, and it'd actually fit him now, tight across his shoulders and just loose enough around his waist. Then he put on just a simple black jacket (because, seriously, it was COLD) and converse high-tops.

He mussed up his hair- the way Lydia always said made it look good, and raced downstairs…hoping he didn't look like a total idiot.

It wasn't like he was being girly or anything…but he did want Toby to like him, he really, really did…and he felt better knowing he was making a conscious effort for that to happen .

Stiles paused at the door for a moment, readying himself and quelling his nerves, knowing that if he was too nervous- it would lead to rambling…and the rambling would lead to panic, which would then, inevitably lead to him bringing up bad topics- like dead children or some other horrific shit such as Mitt Romney, and everyone knows that would just be plain painful.

So, taking a deep breath, and checking his clothes once more- he slowly and shakily turned the doorknob and headed outside to greet Toby.

He was standing there, hands behind his back, bouncing in his toes and looking at the sky when Stiles opened the door.

His head snapped up immediately and fixed onto Stiles- giving him one of those low once-overs Stiles always saw people like Scott and Isaac getting- but never him.

It strangely didn't make him feel uncomfortable or exposed at all- just flattered.

"So, ah, where are we going? My dad's gonna be gone all day and, I really don't have anything planned, so I'm pretty much up for anything." Stiles stated awkwardly, whilst closing the door behind him, making sure he had his keys, wallet and phone in his pockets before he did so.

Toby looked at him, simply smiling and said, "It's a surprise, you're going to have to wait and see."

"Aww!" Stiles moaned, exaggeratedly pouting, "Wait. Where's your car?" he scoped his eyes around…but all he could see was his own blue jeep and…a motorbike?

"I ah, you're not uncomfortable on two wheels are you? I should've asked." Toby awkwardly scratched his hair as they walked over to the bike. An actually motorbike date! Wishes do come true!

"Nah man! My best friend owns a dirt bike, and these two…ah, acquaintances, twins actually- they ride as well- so I've been on the back of one a few times." Stiles assured and put on a helmet that Toby passed to him, safety-first and all that!

The both got onto the bike, Stiles pushed right up behind Toby, wrapping his arms around the narrow waist. He could feel the body heat, even though Toby's heavy navy jacket. It was nice. He smelled like warm sugar and curry powder.

"Okay, then. Hold on tight!" Toby warned, and started the engine.

Stiles instinctively knew he really didn't need to grip on tighter...or press his chest to Toby's back like that…but if given the chance to sneak-attack a hug- he was gonna take it!

Let's just hope this date went well and Stiles didn't stuff it up.

"You gotta lean with me when I lean, okay?" Toby was saying as they rode, but Stiles had heard it all before from Scott.

Stiles had briefly tried to ask where the hell they were actually going, but the wind was too loud in his ears once Toby sped up- and it wasn't exactly like the dude was relenting anyway.

They drove north for about 45 minutes, just the thrilling rush of wind and the constant feeling of closeness to have. Stiles hid his hands in Toby's jacket most of the ride- the wind causing them to chill.

They'd passed a few towns, but eventually, Toby slowed down and then stopped at this….playground? About three towns over from BH.

Stiles and Toby got off of the bike, stretching their limbs out and taking off their helmets.

Toby turned to Stiles with a huge grin on his face, "Come on- I want to show you something!" and then proceeded to grab Stiles' hand- and pull him away.

They walked hand-in hand up to the playground, or more like jogged since Toby seemed to be so excited to show Stiles whatever it was.

And what it was…it was…

A fucking gigantic slippery dip!

Like, the thing was at least as tall as a two-story building…maybe more, and was built with this massive wooden log winding staircase and a look-out tower platform. Its surface was made of shiny oiled and slightly looped metal that angled itself down in the perfect way. The thing was like a childhood dream come true!

Wait…if this slide had been there, in a park only three towns over- why hadn't he been there before?! Damn the lost opportunities!

Stiles turned to Toby with wide eyes and said, "My God, do you know how serious this is?"

Toby looked smug, "I knew you'd like it- I saw it on my way driving back into Beacon Hills- it's off the highway though, which is probably why most out of towners don't know about it- but I got lucky when I went in search of a place to buy a spare tire."

"I-" Stiles was speechless, no-one had ever really taken the consideration to do something like this for him, not ever.

It was amazing that Toby even knew that Stiles would like childish things like a massive slippery dip. It was so…there were really just no words actually.

The guy was almost out of a move; he looked amazing, he was nice, shy, older and not at all imposing- but more importantly- he actually got Stiles. No-one but Scott had ever really gotten Stiles before, and it was such a good feeling to have, like being lifted up into the air and pushed through the clouds.

"You wanna have a go on it?" Toby asked, smirking that dimply smile and looking amused at Stiles' reaction.

"Yes! Yes I do! Take me to the mega- slippery-dip! Please!" Jesus- they'd only been there two minutes and already Stiles could tell it was going to be the best date ever.

**Sageandmilk:**

**Now, I must warn you before people get too crazy about Toby- this is a STEREK endgame story (sorry for anyone who doesn't ship them :()- so yeah, do with that what you will, but in the meantime...**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen:

Yes, it was amazing, exhilarating and completely childish. But there were only so many inventive ways you could go down a slide with two people (most of them being intimate and making Stiles blush…but hey, it was a date) and eventually both Toby and Stiles realised they'd have to stop and do something else.

The playground was completely bare of children, which even in winter, was pretty weird for a weekend- but gave both boys an air of privacy as they sat side-by-side on the swing-set, talking and flowing.

It was good to actually start to talk with Toby. While the slide had been fun- Stiles had often gotten annoyed when movies made it seem like you had to go _all out _on a date…make it exhilarating and pack it full of distractions- rather than just, you know- make the date worth it by enjoying each other's company.

They started off with basic date-like questions; favourite colour, job aspiration, superhero, family, etc. It was nice and Toby was funny, but eventually they moved onto more serious topics.

"How'd you get into this whole supernatural thing anyway?" Toby asked him, lazily twisting around in his suspended seat so that he could turn to face Stiles. He looked like some guy in an indie movie; hair all messy, clothes dark and hipster-y, mysterious smile and not to mention the fact that he was freaking _highlighted _by the rays of sun peeking through the winter clouds. It wasn't _fair_.

Stiles cleared his throat and looked down, blushing a bit.

"My best friend Scott got bitten by a rouge Alpha…and yeah, once I found out that that kind of stuff was real- I just couldn't leave it alone I guess. Not really one to stop just 'cause of danger." Stiles answered, kicking the bark chips underneath his feet and twirling side-to side in his swing.

"Yeah, you don't seem like the kind of guy to back down." Toby chuckled, and then continued talking, "How many wolves are there in your town anyway?" he asked.

To Stiles it seemed, well, kind of an odd question for a date? But then again, maybe Toby was just looking for mutual interest as a conversation starter. Whatever, he was just happy that he'd even managed to score with someone so…out of his league.

"Uh, well- we got Derek- he's the Alpha," Stiles started counting on his fingers, "Then we got Scott (my best bud) he's another Alpha. And Isaac, Cora, Peter- they're Beta's in Derek's pack. Ethan and Aiden are Alphas too…but they're kind of on their own. So, yeah. That's pretty much it. Sometimes we get a few omegas passing by…but usually Derek deals with them before they can harm anyone in town." Stiles watched Toby's face…it looked, calculating? Huh. Maybe it was just another vampire-werewolf rivalry thing.

"So, the wolves in your town, they protect the citizens?" Toby asked, and seemed awfully serious and intent on the answer. This was a date…but for some reason the atmosphere didn't feel like one anymore.

Stiles coughed awkwardly, "Yeah, we're like supernatural crime fighters. Protect Beacon Hills from the clutches of evil! And all that!" he chuckled weakly at his attempt of a joke, "Sometimes the wolves even team up with the hunters- which shows you just how _much _they're dedicated to keeping the town safe. I- I actually don't know _why_ our town is like some weird copy of Hell-mouth, but it makes me feel a hell of a lot better that my friends are there to protect it."

Toby nodded- his shoulders seeming to relax, "You're a really god guy Stiles." He commented, smiling softly and looking Stiles right in the _eyes_- like he was examining Stiles' very soul.

"I-I am?" Stiles asked- feeling the pressure of the moment, he'd never really been complimented so outright before- well, not by anyone other than _Peter_- and that guy was just plain freaky.

Toby was leaning in on his swing, turning it to face Stiles fully- and Stiles felt himself doing the same thing- his face ending out only inches from Toby's, making it so that he could see every laugh line and caramel-coloured freckle on the vampire's face.

"You are." Toby whispered, and then he leaned in quickly- planting his lips on Stiles', soft and pressured.

Stiles had been expecting it- Toby _was _looking at his lips intently after all- but he still gasped in shock when the kiss struck. He'd only really been kissed by a few people; Casey Tyler in eight grade…and that was more like a peck, Jessica Bartholomew in ninth grade, and they'd only gotten to small make-outs during study sessions…Heather, and then Toby that time outside his house- all of those times he'd been surprised and inexperienced.

Toby somewhat took the gasping as an invitation, and licked into Stiles' mouth- which set off a whole load of sparkles in Stiles' head, making him dizzy and light with the feeling of _oh my God that's nice._

Stiles was probably being a bit forward, but he _leapt _off of his swing and curled his arms around Toby's neck, leaning into the kiss with all his might…which was a bit of a fail since Toby was still sitting on _his _swing- and that made the kiss a bit gravity-defying.

Toby got the idea though, and stood up, and soon enough the two of them were just standing under the beams of the swing set – smacking lips, exploring mouths, and running hands down backs. Their fronts were pressed together and their knees were almost _entwined _by how close they were to each other.

It was a really, _really _awesome experience, and warmed Stiles up nicely in the chill of winter…but eventually they had to, or _Stiles _had to go up for air.

When they broke apart they were panting, mouths shiny with spit, foreheads pressed together, noses brushing and both grinning like hyenas.

"Whadd'ya -want to do -now?" Toby asked softly between small pecks on Stiles' lips.

"We could go back to my place? Have some lunch and watch a movie?" Stiles suggested around a smile, though he didn't really know how they were _ever _going to leave.

"Mmm, sounds good." Toby murmured, and then pulled Stiles into another slow, sweet kiss- wrapping his arms around Stiles' waist and tugging him tightly.

Now Stiles was _seriously _appreciating the fact that there weren't any kids in the playground…otherwise there may have been a lot less awesome make outs, or, you know- a lot more traumatised children- either way.

Toby was licking into his mouth again, running his tongue along the inside of his top lip- his hands gripping and massaging his hips. It felt awesome, and Stiles was so, so upset with himself when he pulled away, placing his hands on Toby's chest in a signal to stop.

"If we keep doing this- we're never gonna leave, and It's getting kinda cold." Stiles mumbled with a snort and (with much internal debate and strength), left Toby standing under the swing-set as he started walking back towards the bike, in an obvious signal that it was time to leave.

The drive back to his house gave Stiles a lot of time to think.

He was pressed close to Toby, arms tight around his waist; more a hug, than just a safety precaution. With the beautiful Californian forest on either side of them as they sped by, and with what they'd done earlier- the atmosphere around them was light and calm.

Stiles was happy…but _beyond _surprised that a twenty year old guy with supermodel looks would even pay attention to him- let alone express his obvious interest.

But, Stiles liked Toby, _a lot_- and the only thing that he'd ever _not _liked about him, was the vampire-werewolf thing…but then again Toby _had _said his family was all for looking past their differences. But, why had he asked about the wolves in town if he was like that? Maybe he was just being protective…he had been oddly so the night they'd met after all, jumping in front of him to shield him from Peter and Derek.

Ugh. That made Stiles seem like some heroine in a fantasy book! Dammit!

He was the _best friend _to Scott's main protagonist_, _and he was perfectly happy with that role thank you very much! Admittedly at the start- he'd wanted to be the main character…the _Batman _of the story and not the Robin. But soon enough, after everything he'd been through- he realised he _was _the Batman- the Batman to Scott's Superman. He was the researcher and the thinker- the one who always had a plan B, and Scott- Scott was the one with the super strength and all the fame, the golden boy- but the one who never the less- couldn't live without him and that he couldn't live without.

And Stiles was okay with that.

So yeah, he was NOT a blushing, fainting woman with big breasts and little-to no personality. He had _awesomeness _dammit!

But, as he clung to Toby, riding on the back of the motorcycle… he bet he _looked _like the damn love interest of a heroic main character.

Hell- Toby was a hansom vampire too!

…And Stiles had a werewolf as a best-friend.

God Dammit!


	15. Chapter 15: I'm Sorry

Chapter Fifteen:

The Sheriff was probably not going to be home until some atrocious time like three am or some other shit where he comes home and _sneaks _in, trying not to make a sound or wake Stiles up. Just because all the murders and random property destroying had finally stopped…didn't mean the Beacon Hill's Sherriff's department had it any easier, not when they had a whole _stack _of paperwork to still sort out, even from way back when people were getting paralysed last year! Mostly the higher-ups just wanted _something_ explained, and for some reason they thought that the only way that could happen was through massive amounts of paperwork.

Seriously, due to the amount of unexplainable crap that went on in that town….and the fact that cops _kept getting randomly murdered_, meant that Stiles' father had to spend a lot of late nights, and even early mornings down at the station.

Stiles usually hated it, and wanted to spend time with his dad…but, now- _now _he was totally seeing the benefits, what with him and Toby sitting rather close together on the couch and watching the Shawshank Redemption uninterrupted.

He'd invited Toby in, of course- what with that being the whole necessity with the vampire thing. He'd hesitated for a moment, but he knew, due to his extensive research of vampire law- that he could revoke the invitation at any time, and his house would become a Toby barrier again…not that he _wanted that_….Although, his dad might, and maybe Derek too- and Mrs McCall since she was overprotective at the best of times.

It was pretty good, and Stiles _loved _the Shawshank Redemption to death, what with Morgan Freeman (that man had the voice of GOD) and all…but he wasn't really paying much attention due to the whole, you know, _sexual tension_ in the air.

It was like, every moment he almost settled down and forgot that Toby was there, the older boy would then glance his way…and then he'd be forced to glance in _Toby's _direction (inconspicuously of course), just to have a look.

In the end it was like a game of who would make the first move…their thighs were bushing, Stiles pressed up against the arm of the couch and Toby pressed up against him, but no-one had yet done the whole 'yawn-stretch- arm around shoulder' move, and Stiles certainly wasn't going to be the one to do it. He was not a cheesy date, thank you!

He suspected Toby wasn't doing anything (and he definitely looked like he _wanted _to- by the way he was obviously not watching the movie and watching Stiles' mouth instead), because he was respecting Stiles' boundaries- boundaries Stiles hadn't even set up yet!

Eventually Stiles groaned in annoyance, having enough of the tension, and went for it- grabbing Toby's face in a vicious pull and planting a bruising kiss onto his lips.

Toby froze for only a split second in surprise, before he reacted in _just _the right way, pulling Stiles into his lap and kissing back with enthusiasm, moving both their lips in a rough wet slide.

"My God that should've started a lot sooner." Stiles breathed when they broke, and then nibbled lightly on Toby's bottom lip as the older boy distracted himself with lying lengthwise down on the couch, pulling Stiles with him.

"Mmm, you think?" Toby whisper asked, and moved his lips, sliding to kiss Stiles' nose, ear and cheek. Peppering kisses down from his mouth to his jaw, slowly transforming from chaste pecks to bruising sucks that left Stiles squirming.

"Mm, I k-know." Stiles stuttered. Toby pushed himself upwards onto his elbows, continuing the attack on Stiles' neck, and being the awkward virgin he was, Stiles just lay there breathing and held on for dear life. He was sure there would be hickies…he could just _see _Scott's raised eyebrows and smug little smile when he got to school on Monday.

But when Toby started to slide his hands up the back of Stiles' shirts, thumbing the dimples at the waistline of his jeans and slowly tickling the small of Stiles' back, Stiles stopped him.

"Wait." He said, pulling Toby's hands out and away, pressing them towards his _own _chest.

Toby gave him a questioning look, like he didn't understand what was wrong, but he didn't push for anything.

Stiles chuckled and rested his head on Toby's broad shoulder, "Ah, it's just, It's probably gonna become a bit traumatising for me to have make-out sessions on the Stilinski 'father-son baseball-bonding couch', so could we, like, take this up to my room or something?" Stiles asked a tad awkwardly- embarrassed for his reasoning.

Toby's face lit up in obvious relief, "Oh no totally, that's completely understandable. But, do you want to finish the movie first?" he pointed his head a tad at the film still playing in the background.

"Were either of us actually watching that. _At all_?" Stiles question with a raise of his eyebrow- causing Toby to chuckle and voice a negative.

Stiles got off from his position on top of the older boy, and quirked an eyebrow in his classic face of mischief, "Race you to my room?" he asked with a smirk.

"I don't even know where your room is." Toby deadpanned- face lacking any emotion; which was what gave him away.

"You're telling me that a vampire can't pick out a teenage boy's room out through scent? Pathetic Vlad, really." There was no malice behind it, but he could see the automatic competitive streak it put into Toby's stance.

"On the count of three?" He asked, glaring challengingly and Stiles- his whole body looking relaxed, like he was ready for a walk and not a run.

"On the count of three." Stiles agreed, smirking in obvious confidence.

….

Toby beat Stiles by _at least _fifteen seconds, and Stiles tripped twice getting up the stairs, but neither really cared, because as soon as Stiles entered his room and slammed the door behind him- Toby _leapt._

They started out pretty much where they had left off on the couch, but this time on a bed- and this time Toby was looming over Stiles.

Stiles had his knees bracketing Toby's thighs, his calves wrapped around Toby's as the boy nipped sucked and licked his way down Stiles' neck, eventually having to pull away part of the teen's collar to get at the curve of his shoulder.

Stiles had _never _been touched like that before. The only kissing/groping he'd ever had = a couple of open mouthed kisses and Frenchs with some girls, _one _accidental boob-touch (which had then caused a boner, and then Yippee she broke up with him!), but no, there was never anything other than strictly mouth-on-mouth hands on waist/around neck.

What he was experiencing now was like…full on _Holy God._ And it pretty much short circuited his thinking…or at least sent all of the blood from his brain- immediately rushing down into _other places_.

Toby was still continuing his kissing, migrating back and forth between his ear, his neck and his mouth- sucking licking and biting, taking the lead and just letting Stiles go with the flow. Toby was _obviously _aroused, and that was probably a given what with the current activities they were participating in, but that fact didn't do anything to quell the amount of _surprise _Stiles felt when he noticed a pointy bulge pressing against his hip.

It was…not really a situation he was entirely comfortable with, especially on a first date, he wasn't a _prude_- but he hardly knew Toby, and that gave him the right to feel a little apprehensive about what he was getting into.

But, it was nice…and his body _was _reacting well to Toby's touches- and this was the first boy to _ever _show interest in him, so maybe if it stayed on this level then everything would be okay?

What set off the final sparks of doubt in Stiles, though, was when Toby let out a _long, _needy groan and started slowly sliding Stiles' shirt up, brushing the trail of hair on his stomach with his fingers greedily.

Stiles _immediately _slapped his hands away, and sat up on his elbows, moving his neck away from Toby's mouth, out of reach of another hickie.

"What's wrong?" Toby asked, looking concerned. He was still straddling Stiles, but he was keeping his hands at bay…his _erection _though, was still utterly noticeable and was making Stiles rather uncomfortable- even wilting his own slightly.

"I-I, I think it's just a bit much? I mean it's probably obvious but I'm not exactly _experienced _and you just sort of jumped right in there…" Stiles trailed off slowly, blushing out of awkwardness and embarrassment. Toby's face was…Embarrassed, probably from the absolute _primal _mode he's just gone into, but he also looked thoroughly ashamed.

He moved away, just to sit by Stiles' side on the bed, and he _actually grabbed a pillow_ to cover up his arousal, a problem Stiles no longer had what with the awkward tension. Huh, Toby was _totally _into him- even after embarrassing situations. Good to know.

"I, ah I'm so _sorry _I totally should've seen what level you were at and, um if you're uncomfortable I could-" Toby nodded his head towards the door in a general gesture of 'flee like batman in the alleyways of Gotham'.

"No, no! It's cool dude, you're fine to stay." Stiles said with a reassuring smile and an awkward pat to Toby's knee, which then made his elbow brush the _pillow _causing Toby to shiver, and Stiles to once again become aware of the awkward boner problem.

He ignored it though, he _needed to_, because right then? He was trying to stave off a panic attack.

"What made you so…_eager _anyway?" Stiles asked, looking at Toby curiously. Stiles was a teenager- you could understand _him _randomly going and jumping someone in sexual craziness…But Toby was an adult, and he would have been expected to be at least a _tad _slower.

"I-ugh, I wanna be really cliché and say that the reason was because you were just _too hot_ to resist. But it wasn't." Toby chuckled, and Stiles glared at him- offended.

"Not that I don't find you hot!" Toby back tracked, wide eyed- with his hands waving, "Because I mean you're obviously extremely attractive." Stiles gave him a doubtful look at that because…_really_- Stiles Stilinski was not extremely attractive.

He must have said the last part out loud, because Toby got this amused expression on his face, "But that's just it!" He groaned – pointing at Stiles right in the face, "You are and you never even see it. I mean your mouth…and your neck and _eyes…_God and your _shoulders _the shoulders kill me the most…or maybe the lips, yeah, especially when you gape a little…kiiiiind of like you're doing now…sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable." Toby looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck a bit.

Wow, no- no Stiles was _not _uncomfortable- not like he had been before…it was just, he hadn't ever been complemented like that before…well, by anyone other than Toby. He never really saw himself that way before. He never saw himself as ugly either- or necessarily _not _good looking- he'd just always excepted the fact that people were gonna get all hot and bothered over types like Isaac and Danny rather than someone dorky like him.

Stiles coughed, trying to get back to the topic, "So if it wasn't for my exceedingly beautiful physique" Toby flicked his shoulder at that, "Then why did you get so carried away?" Stiles asked.

Toby sighed and hid his head in his hands, ruffling his own hair anxiously- a nervous habit Stiles himself had.

"I- in all honesty I thought this might be the last chance I get- and I just got so caught up in wanting it to last…to have _some _kind of memory of you before it goes that I just…" Toby sighed angrily, holding onto his hair more tightly than before.

Stiles frowned, confused, "What do you mean by _'last chance' _and _'before it goes'_?" he asked.

Toby turned to him, looking pained, "I really like you," he said, resting his head on Stiles' shoulder, "Like- your one of the most fascinating humans I've ever met- and definitely the most fascinating that I've been this _attracted to_. And – I really enjoy spending time with you…and I don't want it to end." Toby sounded sad, hopeless.

"What do you mean, who says it had to end? If you don't want it to end it doesn't have to Toby." Stiles reassured, playing with the older boy's hair to make him feel better- but he himself felt utterly confused and more than a little worried.

"But- I have to tell you something, tell you something important- and after I tell you…_you're _going to be the one to end it Stiles, and I just want you to know before then…that I meant it when I said I liked you-and that I still do." Toby looked up at him with pleading hazel eyes, like it was one of the most important things in the world to get his point across.

Stiles' throat had gone dry, but he swallowed a few times and spoke, "Tell me." He whispered softly, holding Toby close for as long as he was going to be able…for as long as he was still under the impression he wanted the man close, though, he still had this stubborn belief- that no matter what Toby had to say, that it wouldn't be that bad- that he'd forgive him.

Toby sighed and began speaking, "My family, our name is famous to both werewolves and Vampires…or really every creature in the mythical community." He said, his voice strong and slightly defiant, as thought he was fighting his emotions.

"Falkner- Toby Falkner, but we call ourselves a justice of sorts. We…my family and most of our related, which amounts up to _thousands _of vampires- are the ones who settled the rift between Werewolves and Vamps. But…there's still untrustworthy wolves out there- especially ones who hate us needlessly." He turned his head to look down at Stiles- looking to see if the teen was paying close attention.

"A few decades back…A group of Weres co-ordinated, and among them- killed _four _whole innocent villages- making it seem like vamps did it, draining the blood and stringing them up like victims of a massacre. You wouldn't have heard it on the news- government covered it up as fire, tornado…sickness, bombings. They always do when it comes to mass mythical murder.

Everyone believed it was our kind initially, and for _years _we walked and lived in slander. Though…when they found out it was a set up- everyone was all apologetic and things were seemingly back to normal. But my grandparents wouldn't take it – they'd already advocated for Werewolf- Vampire anti-violence laws, and they won in favour."

Toby breathed for a second, shakily.

"But…they still set up this system. It's called a scout system- started in the 80's. They'd assign one person each generation in our family…train them as a scout. What a scout's duties were, what _my duties are_- is to go town-to –town, or, territory to territory, and scope out the local wolves- check if they're in any way violent to the local humans, or if they have racist, bias opinions about Vampires- then I report back."

That last sentence…that's when the build-up, the sinking, gut-wrenching feeling of _not right_ that had been going on since Toby started freaking out…that's when it fell right into the pit of his stomach and lodged on tight.

His head was a slow, stuttering chorus of _no, what, how, no, no, no, why, no._ His emotions filled with rage, sorrow, guilt, embarrassment and _shame_.

But he stayed silent, his heart beating loudly in his own ears…and he let Toby finish.

"When I first met you in those woods and night, and I smelt more than just _one _wolf on you- I knew you were my ticket in. So I walked with you, talked…gave you my jacket and scent marked you."

Stiles felt a quiet rage building behind his eyes, and slowly slid away from Toby's grasp around his shoulders- scattering himself to a corner in his room, far-_far_ away from the vampire.

Toby looked sad, but not surprised.

"Then, I followed both your scent and your sound to that coffee shop- and integrated myself more into your life...or well, I guess you kind of did that by yourself with the Bestiary."

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"But it wasn't your fault!" Toby looked _certain_, "I- I would've gotten close anyway I could- there was nothing you could do Stiles. I'm sorry. And then...after the chaperoned coffee-shop date with Derek- I realised how _smart _you were, and the kind of causes you were working for in that bestiary of yours…and how funny you are. And the way your eyes light up gold in the sun and I just couldn't-" Toby choked off with a horrible wet sound, his face looking _devastated._

"So I texted you instead, I was to guilty to see you face-to face…but when I came over to say goodbye that night- I was _only _going to say goodbye…I just I –you were there and you just- you're so _you _and It just felt so…I'm _sorry_." Toby had tears running down his cheeks, looking young and vulnerable- but Stiles did not give one single _shit_.

"Why did you come back?" Stiles asked, his voice rough and his hands shaking from where he stood in the corner, "Why the fuck did you come back and take me out today- why didn't you just leave me alone?" He whispered fury and _horror _lacing each and every syllable.

"I-I just wanted to see you- I couldn't stop thinking about your smile and I thought it might work out…but t-then I…I got to guilty! I just- I'm so _sorry _Stiles." Toby whispered the last words, moving over to place his hands on Stiles' shoulders- but the teen stepped back, bumping into the wall ungracefully.

"Get out." He said coldly, glaring at his hands- blurred by the misty tears in his eyes.

"Stiles." Toby pleaded.  
"Get. Out." Stiles demanded, whipping his head up and _glaring_ at the vampire

"St-"Toby looked devastated.

"Get out, get out. You _Asshole!_ You fucking, absolute piece of SHIT! **_GET OUT_**! GET THE FUCK OUT RIGHT _NOW_! GET _OUT!_" Stiles screamed and moved across the room to start throwing whatever he could find, books, picture frames, ornaments, lights- anything ; as long as it his, and as long as it hurt.

"Get out. Get out. I REVOKE MY DAMN INVITATION INTO THIS HOUSE, NOW GET THE _FUCK _OUT!" He screamed as Toby took one last look over his shoulder while ducking under a hatefully thrown shoe, then he ran down the stairs- feet thumping, and slammed the door behind him.

Stiles was _still _throwing objects at the door, not even screaming words anymore, just screaming at the top of his lungs in between choked-off sobs…as he heard the tell-tale sign of Toby's motorbike speeding away.

**Sageandmilk:**

_In my mind, Toby wasn't trying to romantically hurt Stiles- he just wanted to become friends and find out about the wolves in town...but then he got a bit of a 'conflict of interest' when he found himself attracted to Stiles, and in some cliché devastating movie way, he he couldn't keep his feelings apart from his work. :( :( :( :( I'm actually so sad about what I've done. WHYYYYYYYYYYY! OH THE PAIN OF A GOOD ARC!__**  
ALSO:  
Yes, the last scene was inspired by True Blood...I've only seen the first three seasons and a couple episodes from others...but it's actually not a typical "Vampire Romance" cliché. It has shape shifters, weird succubi creepy thingys, fairies...cults, drugs, awesome drag-queen chef dudes that take drugs. Vampire Politicians. Red-Necks...Racists. Either way, I recommend it if you're not too squeamish and at least old enough to see on-screen boobies.**_


	16. Chapter 16: Scotty Has a Chat

Chapter Sixteen:

"Stiles."

"Go away dad." Stiles groaned from under his pillow, his voice muffled and distorted, still whiny though, and a tad bit rough from all the _screaming _he'd done the previous night- but he was sure that the point still carried through. He didn't want to be spoken to. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to _leave his bed_.

The door to his room cracked open just a little, maybe an inch and his dad looked through, he was sure his room looked like a mess. He'd absolutely _torn _through it, in some kind of grief or rage or just _something_. Either way, things were thrown, ripped and discarded, but none of it had made him feel any better.

"Stiles you haven't left your room all day. Can you please just tell me what's wrong?" His father asked- sounding nervous and ridden with fatherly concern.

The man had been constantly travelling upstairs and checking on him, which was probably a natural thing to do. Stiles did spend _a lot _of time in his room-as any teen would do, but he never really spent it in the dark, under the covers, not eating anything and never coming out. Well…at least not since he'd gotten past his mother issues.

"Nothing's wrong." Stiles huffed, hiding deeper under the covers as the sheriff opened the door completely- stepping into the room. Stiles couldn't handle scrutiny right now, he couldn't handle _conversation._

"Stiles, something is obviously wrong…you don't have to say what it is. But can you at least let me know you're okay?" The sheriff moved to sit on the corner of the mattress, placing a hand over one of Stiles' knees.

Stiles sighed long and resigned. He peaked one eye out from under his pillow, "I'll get over it okay? Just let me mope. I'll be fine Dad, seriously, it's just one of those things that takes a few days listening to overly emotional music and sleeping for hours on end. I'll be good soon, promise."

"Stiles." The Sheriff tried, sounding casually disapproving but also a tad worried; as any parent would if their child refused to leave their bed all day without breaks for eating.

"Dad, Seriously, I just want to be left alone okay? I'll be fine." Stiles grumbled- he felt like shit saying it, but there was no other way to get his father off of his back. He couldn't tell his dad about this. He just- he _couldn't_.

There came a huff/grumbling sound of typical parental disapproval, but also acknowledgement and his father left with a single "Love you kiddo." Closing the door behind him and leaving Stiles alone once again.

Left in the darkness once again, Stiles burrowed under the covers and tried desperately _not _to think about…to think about, well…what he'd been thinking about since the previous night.

Toby.

It was his fault really. He was _so _desperate for someone to actually like him- that he just, ignored all the signs? Believed that someone did? _Fell in love to quickly?_

It hurt. Being betrayed like that- being _used. _And not only that! Being used to get to _werewolves_- a lifestyle and friendship group he'd never actually had a say in- that he'd _cursed _God for bringing him into…It was humiliating. Demeaning.

He just- It's not like Toby was even _dangerous _to Scott or the others…but he _could _have been. He could have been someone horrible and dangerous like Deucalion or Jennifer, and he would have led him _right _to the wolves…right to his friends. God, how stupid was he? How recklessly, stupidly, _naïve- _was he; to actually think someone like that, someone so _nice _and _good-looking_ and _older_, was genuinely interested?

He honestly didn't know who he hated more in that moment…himself- or Toby_._

Scott had called Stiles seven times already, _seven._ Now…granted it was a fact that Stiles usually slept in on a Sunday-it was 1:30 in the freaking afternoon and they had plans dammit! So why wasn't he answering his phone?

Ugh. Stiles had texted Scott the day before…telling him _all _about how he was on this date with the 'Hot Vampire guy' and that was all well and fine, and Scott was really happy for him, _finally getting some _and all. But they had a scheduled video-game marathon, and if Stiles had- God _forbid _Scott was going to have to bleach his brain thinking about it- if Stiles had had…_sex_- with this vampire, and hadn't bothered to get his ass up the next morning. Oh there would be consequences!

Scott McCall was not one to miss out on video games and nacho plate pig-outs! No matter how late Stiles may have stayed up…._doing things_. Ugh, this was his bro- it physically hurt to think about.

So it was decided. If the brat wasn't going to answer his phone- then Scott was going to ride his dirt-bike over and _demand _the boy get his lazy ass out of bed for their traditional Sunday Fun-day. _No excuses._

It's _freezing_ when Scott zooms into the Stilinski driveway- hopping off of his bike and running up to the door to escape the chill. He could see the Sheriff's cruiser parked in the drive next to the jeep, which was good. The man was in need of a day off of work for once.

Scott let himself in, not bothering to knock. He and Stiles had developed a certain level of trust since they were in third-grade. _Use each other's houses, use each other's fridges, and use each other as an excuse._ That's the way things always worked. Their trust had even developed so strong that they'd (without their parents' knowledge) developed keys of one another's front doors…though technically Stiles had done it first without asking.

"Hey Mr Stilinski, is Stiles home?" Scott asked as he closed the door behind him- blocking the chill. He moved straight to the kitchen which was in his direct line of sight. There he saw the Sheriff sitting at the round table doing _paperwork_ and drinking a steamy mug of coffee. Huh. He may be at home, but the office obviously still hadn't left him yet. Stiles had told him all about the extra work he and his dad had taken on because of the bank. It was…it was just, _sad _to know how hard Mr Stilinski had to work.

The Sheriff looked up from his work, his face tired and worn, he sighed. "Yeah Scott, he's up in his room…just, he's having a bad day- he won't tell me why. Be careful with him." The Sheriff warned.

Scott frowned and nodded seriously, knowing that Stiles Stilinski didn't just have _bad days_. Yeah he got sad, but eventually he just got to excited to focus much on it…The only times he'd ever had a _bad day _were in extreme circumstances.

"I'll be careful." Scott assured, placing a reassuring smile onto his face.

"Mm, good. Maybe your company might actually make him feel better. Who knows?" the Sheriff mused, shrugging. He then nodded his head sideways in a general signal of 'go ahead and try', basically dismissing him.

With a mumbled good-bye behind his shoulder, Scott stormed off and up the stairs, wondering what was wrong with his bestie. Originally he'd come there in a light, slightly annoyed mood- just thinking Stiles had slept in pretty late, or forgotten about him after his date the previous night. However…after hearing the Sheriff's words, and looking back on the fact that Stiles _never _shrugged him off for Fun-day Sunday, Scott was becoming a tad bit concerned, wondering about all the different scenarios that could have possibly made his best friend upset on such a monumental day.

When Scott got to Stiles door- he hesitated.

Ever since becoming a werewolf, his sense of smell had been completely different…especially around people. The longer he was a wolf, the more and more he learnt- the more he found out that _people_ emitted emotions- and if those emotions were strong enough, they could smell.

Stiles room, even from the outside when the door was closed, smelt like Allison had the time Allison had broken up with him, the time Lydia had in the garage when she thought Jackson was dead, Derek, when he'd learnt about Jenifer's betrayal.

Grief. Loss. Sadness. Anger.

But why were they coming from _Stiles' _room? A room that usually smelled of teenager, medication and adrenalin?

"Stiles?" Scott asked, knocking on the door and keeping his voice just loud enough to hear.

From the inside he could hear a pickup in heartbeat and a stutter in breathing. Stiles had heard him, but was obviously choosing to ignore him.

"I'm coming in, okay bud?" Scott asked, and hearing no response he opened the door to the room- stepping inside.

Inside was so much _worse _than just smell. It…it looked like a bomb had gone off or something. Clothes, books, sports equipment and childish toys were strewn all across the room- the ceiling fan was even sporting a bright red pair of _novelty Christmas boxers_? The desk was upside down, its accompanying wheelie chair tipped over on its side- the shades to Stiles' window were twisted and bent…and a stuffed teddy bear (that wasn't really full of stuffing anymore since it now seemed to be torn apart) was hanging from the ceiling by a makeshift noose made out of a series of decorative ties.

The place looked extremely creepy and smelt like sadness and pain.

"Stiles?" Scott asked, stepping into the room and gently closing the door behind him. The room had an air of '_no' _to it that Scott just couldn't explain. Even without the mess…the darkness and the horrible intoxicating emotions swirling around were enough to make the entire atmosphere one to be weary of.

Still, he had to figure out _why_ it was like this in the first place, had to figure out why Stiles was acting like this.

Scott could see the huddled figure on the bed- hiding under the covers in the foetal position and doing his it's best to pretend it was asleep. _Stiles._

"Stiles I can hear your heart rate. I know you're awake." Scott commented as softly as he could, tiptoeing around the room's debris and moving over to stand by bed where Stiles was hiding.

"Mmmphh." Stiles moaned into his pillow, not moving much except to snuggle deeper.

"Stiles are you okay?" Scott asked, trying to make his voice sound strong- but it just broke through wavering and scared instead.

He moved, pushing the heap that was Stiles and lounging himself onto the mattress as well, leaning his back against the headboard and his side against the lump that was his best friend.

"Stiles?" Scott asked patting Stiles' shoulder to rouse him out from hiding.

The bed smelt weird…and not just with the mixed sad emotions…something else was off.

"Whaddaya want Scott?" Stiles whined, poking his head out slightly from the covers.

His eyes were both sunken and red-rimmed, like he's spent all night not sleeping, but crying instead. His hair was a _mess_ sticking up like a porcupine's would.

"I want to know what's made you so upset." Scott answered truthfully- and immediately saw a wave of panic flash over his friend's face.

"_Please _Stiles- I just. It smells like…it smells so _sad _and angryin here and I just can't- I'm worried." Scott tried to express, looking down at his friend, feeling still slightly disturbed at the _haggardness _of Stiles' features.

Stiles sighed, rolling off of his stomach and moving to scoot up a bit, "Fine." He said when he came to a rest beside Scott, "But my father hears _none _of this. Understood?" his voice sounded rough and haggard- a sound Scott only knew came from screaming into your pillow for hours on end. He'd done it a fair few times when he still lived with his father.

Scott nodded, waiting for an explanation.

Stiles took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter, he looked tired and _begrudging_, but also scared- like telling Scott whatever it was, was going to be the worst thing in earth or something.

"So you remember how I kept telling you about. About Hot vampire guy?" Stiles asked, his voice hardly above a whisper. He was looking down at his hands, avoiding eye contact and fiddling.

"Yeah." Scott voiced an affirmation.

"Well I mean- I texted you heaps yesterday- a-about the date we were going on. And we…we went on it and stuff."

Stiles was frowning, like he couldn't get the words out- like he didn't _want to._

"It's okay buddy, I'm right here." Scott tried to voice some encouragement…but didn't really know what encouragement he could give to his friend- not when he had no idea what the problem actually _was._

"I-I really liked him-" _liked_? "- but then he- he-" Stiles choked, shaking his head a little, "Scott it was all a _lie_." He said his voice full of anger- not sadness.

"I-what do you mean?" Scott asked at the same time as pulling his friend into a hug.

He couldn't help it- even in a situation like this- but something about the _smell _of Stiles' bed- it was off, it distracted him.

"He- his family are like some weird vampire cops or some shit. Th-they _sent him here_ to check and see…to check and see if the Alphas were all good and dandy or something. I-I was just some _tool _he used to gather information." Scott's heart sank along with Stiles' words.

"I-I thought someone _finally _liked me! I-I'm such and idiot!" Stiles declared and Scott could both hear and smell that the boy had started to cry.

He gripped his best friend up in a tighter hug, both for Stiles' benefit and for his own… Scott actually felt mildly _sick_ that someone had made his best friend feel this way.

"It's okay Stiles." Scott said- really that was the only thing he _could _say.

"No! It's not! He wasn't trying to hurt you guys…but what-what if he was? What if T-toby was like Jennifer and wanted to hurt people, and I-just, what if I-" Stiles cut himself off, curling up into Scott and shaking like a leaf, his heartbeat high and jittery.

They stayed there for a moment- just breathing and hugging it out.

Scott could still _smell _that strange smell.

Stiles was breathing in haggardly, but the hugging seemed to calm him down after a while and eventually his heartbeat slowed down to a more-normal rate.

Then finally, the smell was starting to _get _to Scott- and he'd actually gotten a pretty good clue on what it was.

"Stiles?" he asked, "Did- Did Toby…touch you?" he knew it sounded insensitive- but the bed _reeked _of '_not-human male'_ and arousal. Something had gone down, and as a protective best friend he had to know what.

Stiles looked down shamefully, tears clouding his eyes and fists shaking.

"I-yeah. Before. Before he told me about what he was doing here. Before he told me that he was _using me_- we- I still thought he liked me…and we, we made-out a bit." Stiles looked up defensively, "I mean- I was still under the impression that this was just 'Toby the guy I'm on a date with' not 'Toby the traitor'."

Scott sat shocked for a moment, then felt a blinding rage take hold of him and _knew _that his eyes were glowing a slight bit red.

"He _touched you_? He _used you_? Under false pretences? _My _best friend? He did that? To my BEST FRIEND?" Scott was up and off the bed- he felt the wolf howling and clawing at his ribs, his brain, his heart _aching _to breach free and find this…this _Toby_ and gut him.

"Whoa, Scott calm down!" Stiles jumped up with him too, holding onto his elbows and looking frightened.

"I'm gonna kill him." Scott growled under his breath.

Stiles chuckled humourlessly, "Truth be told Scotty- I don't actually think you're capable of killing anyone, no matter how much you want to. Besides what Toby did was _fully consensual_…and may have been under false pretences. But that's not what I'm upset about. I'm more upset at how easily _fell _into that lie." Stiles led him over to the bed, they sat down, their legs dangling over the side.

"I'm sorry that this happened." Scott said truthfully- looking over at his friend and feeling the _waves _of protectiveness wash over him. No-one hurt Stiles. Stiles was…Stiles. You just _don't _hurt him. Not ever. And if you do you got a Scott McCall to deal with.

"Me too Scotty." Stiles sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.

"Now can we please talk about something else…like, how was your Allison-meets-father date? Did anyone get mortally wounded?" Stiles asked, changing the topic.

Oh God, well at least he had some horrific and ugly stories to get Stiles mind off of things.

"Stiles you have _no _idea how many times one man can be slapped in an evening." Scott chuckled- looking over at his best friend.

Stiles snorted, "Take it Allison didn't like Papa McCall then?"

"Nope. Not even a little."

They both laughed.


	17. Chapter 17: You Look a Bit Ill Honey

Chapter Seventeen:

Working at the Café after school had actually become a good thing for Stiles. The hustle and bustle of taking orders and cleaning up tables had been a healthy distraction. It was something to _do _these past two weeks…something to get his mind off of the whole _'Toby situation' _as Scott was calling it.

It was after school on Wednesday and he had actually been looking forwardto the mind numbing job of repeating "Are you ready to order?" and "What would you like?" over and over again in a chipper voice.

However, working at a place where teenagers usually came after school was a pretty big downside; since most teens were only there to flirt or drink some high-sugar beverage and pretend they're actually being grown up by going out to drink with all of their friends.

"Ugh, that's _five _orders for caramel frappes with extra cream." Stiles declared to Jane, who was working at the machines like the pro she was.

"Seriously, it's like we work in a café where no one actually orders _coffee _anymore." He sighed, ducking behind the counter to reach the sink and put away the dirty dishes he'd gathered up.

"Hmm." Jane hummed in agreement, her back turned towards the blender as she started to pour milk in, her hand shaking and trembling as she did sploshing small floods of milk over the sides.

The trembling wasn't an uncommon thing with her anymore. Jane had been acting…different, those past few weeks. Not turning up to work on her shifts, or sometimes just coming in really late. She almost _always _looked worn-down and tired her cheeks sunken and her eyes clouded over like she just had no energy left in the world.

Her complexion was pale, and for a half African-American girl, that _kinda _meant that she must've had like…_no _blood left in her cheeks at all.

Her eyes looked bruised with how dark the circles around them were- and Stiles _swore _he saw some real bruises on her long neck.

What scared Stiles most though, was the lack of _Jane-ishness _about her. Jane had a personality like an exploding star- and these days it was like she'd burnt out and fizzled. No more wise-cracks and digs at the customers. No more going _on and on _about her hatred for the fact that Dick Grayson was named _Robin_, (like his actual name was _Robin_)in Dark Night Rises. No more classic horror references. And the _worst _part- there was no more funky dancing at the coffee machine.

It was like she was gone; a shell of the real Jane, not even really paying attention to the things going on around her, and Stiles was worried.

"Hey, Janey. Are you feeling alright?" Stiles had tried in the past to question how she was- almost all of the time being shoved off. The state Jane seemed to be in though, it was like Stiles _needed _to help her- especially since shje seemed to be getting worse and worse…deteriorating. He didn't like seeing his friends in pain, even just his work friends.

"I'm fine Stiles. Just tired is all." Jane murmured dully- scooping up ice and adding it into the blender. She sounded antsy, dull and just plain _not her_.

"Jane, you really don't look-"

"I'm _fine_." Jane insisted- cutting Stiles off, and before he could push any further she started up the blender, filling the small area with the sound of crushed ice spinning.

Jane was _not _fine, but he'd deal with that later; technically he was still at work and he had a job to do- no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't put it off just to interrogate a sick colleague.

The café was basically empty and devoid of all human life besides Jane and Stiles.

Their co-workers Jimmy, Cho and Alex had already left, leaving him and Jane to lock up for the night.

"Hey Janey, you walking home tonight again?" Stiles asked the still oddly quiet girl, pulling off his apron and walking round past the counter.

Jane just nodded, picking up her backpack and turning of the lights, casting them both into dull darkness. They walked to the front door in, what Stiles thought- a completely uncomfortable silence. Usually they'd be talking and joking whilst they left for the night- but now it was just eerie quiet and awkward silence.

Jane had finished locking up, placing the keys back into her bag. When they were both standing outside on the street in the cold air, Stiles finally dared to ask another question.

"So, do you think I could walk you home?" He asked nervously and Jane shot him a confused look.

"I'm not some damsel Stiles." She said, "There's no need- I walk home by myself every day."

Stiles fiddled, glancing around at the empty streets and passing cars.

"Look- you really don't look too well- and I'm not gonna ask, but it'd make me feel better if I knew you got home safely." Stiles said- staring right into Jane's sunken brown eyes.

"I really don't think-"she started.

"_Please_." Stiles begged, trying to convey in his voice how much he needed to walk her home.

Jane just sighed- like she was too tired to put up a fight anymore. She nodded and started walking down the street at a lazy pace- the yellow glow of the street lights making her bruised eyes look sickly and green.

Stiles hurried forward to catch up to her, taking her movement as consent to walk her home.

A few minutes down the block, and a complete awkward silence later; Stiles dared to start up a conversation.

"So, uhh- are you okay?" He asked with no smoothness at all, and in all honesty he didn't really expect much of an answer- not with the way Jane had been avoiding his questioning all afternoon.

"Will you just let this go Stiles?" Jane sighed, looking straight ahead as she walked…or shuffled- since her walking was sluggish and weighted, like she could barely lift her feet off of the ground.

See- this is why Stiles was walking her home, because on her own- Stiles was pretty sure she'd never even _get _home.

He darted his eyes to look over at Jane, wondering whether he should push any further. The sight of her worn-eyes and pale face made up his decision pretty quick.

"I'm just worried about you. The sooner you tell me what's going on- the sooner I'll leave you alone." He tried lacing his voice in light humour and bouncing on his feet slightly to ease the tension- but the concern leaked through anyway.

Jane sighed, "I don't _know _what's going on Stiles." She pushed her hands into her coat pockets and stared at the ground dejectedly as she walked.

"I keep going to the doctors'- they have no clue what's wrong. They said the only thing they could think of that matched my symptoms was either sleep-deprivation or de-hydration. But I've been drinking plenty of water…and I actually sleep _a lot _lately because of how tired I am."

She looked sadly at Stiles, her face showing the utter _acceptance _of her situation.

"D-do you know when this, uh, thing started?" Stiles asked, frowning at the hopelessness in his friend's features.

"About a month ago I started waking up every morning still tired. No matter how much I slept it was like the sleep just made me _worse_." She kicked at a small rock as she walked- staring at it angrily.

"I can't think straight, I'm hungry _all _the time- I eat and eat but I just keep getting _skinnier_. I sleep and sleep but I just keep getting _sleepier._ I just- nothing helps you know? And it just seems to be getting worse." Jane's voice cracked at the last two words and Stiles' could see under the street-lights that her chapped bottom lip was trembling. He stepped closer to her; walking side-by side now instead of a few feet apart. He reached out his bare hand- holding onto her gloved one, trying to give her some strength and comfort.

"I-I'm scared it won't go away. I'm scared it's just gonna get worse and worse until eventually I just…" Jane choked on her words, "I'm so scared Stiles." She whispered and Stiles squeezed her hand.

She looked up at him then – right into his eyes and he smiled softly at her trying to convey his support. His smile faltered though, when he noticed something on the girl's neck.

He stopped walking- and since his hand was holding hers Jane was forced to stop too.

"Stiles?" She asked, uncertain.

Stiles ignored her and just peered closer at the mark just below her right ear. Two marks actually, about an inch apart and completely identical. Stiles knew, or actually he _thought _he had a pretty good guess at what those marks were- having seen a fair share of classic horror movies in his time.

A vampire bite. That's what the identical punctures looked like.

Memories of Toby suddenly arose quick, cold and painful, making Stiles' gut clench and his heart skip a beat.

A vampire? Could be. Either way it was becoming more and more likely that Jane's problem was totally supernatural, because seriously- what kind of animal left marks like that? Not to mention-

"Stiles!" Jane snapped Stiles out of his thoughts, looking at him weirdly and leaning comically away from the intruding closeness he'd made when he was trying to get a better look at the marks.

"Oh- ah, sorry- it's just you've got these marks on your neck and…" Stiles trailed off- rubbing the back of his hair guiltily.

Jane immediately lifted her hand up to finger at the small red punctures, "Yeah." She whispered, "I have no idea what they are. Maybe a spider or something?"

She didn't seem to believe the theory though- not with how helpless she looked.

She also looked sick, very, very sick- and Stiles was reminded why he was standing beside her in the first place.

"Come on," he ordered- grabbing her elbow and leading her into a walk again, "We should get you home before you pass out."

"Pass out?" Jane asked incredulously- her thin eyebrows raised.

"Janey- you look like you're about to puke any second- I wouldn't put passing out behind you right now." Stiles said bluntly and Jane nodded- obviously agreeing with him.

And so they walked- the silence much less awkward now that they'd talked.

Jane was quiet- obviously focusing on the daunting task of walking while bone-dead exhausted. Stiles was okay with her silence though- it gave him time to think. Mostly he was just coming up with a vampire invasion conspiracy- but still he was genuinely _worried._ Originally he'd just thought Jane was sick or something, but the bite-marks…they looked strange- too big for any local venomous spiders- or really any spiders he'd ever heard of, and he was pretty sure Jane didn't just randomly get bitten on the neck by an overgrown snake.

There was very few chances this _wasn't _supernatural; especially since Jane seemed almost sucked of life. Huh. Sucked of life…Toby didn't say vampires could do that, he never mentioned any sucking besides that of blood. Then again Toby had now become an unreliable source- what with the betrayal and all.

Stiles was so deep in his thoughts that he took a few moments to notice that Jane's pace had lessened and he was actually walking quite a bit in front of her.

"You okay Jane?" the teen asked, turning around and walking back to where his friend lagged behind- looking sickly and trembling.

She looked like her knees would give out any second- so as a precaution Stiles gripped her arm tightly for stability.

"Y-Yeah- I jus' became really dizzy all of a sudden." Jane muttered, and Stiles was pretty sure the slurring of her words wasn't a good sign.

"Can you hold yourself up?" Stiles asked, worried that Jane might not have the strength in her to continue walking home. Although in saying that- she didn't really look like she had any strength when she arrived at work hours back.

"I don't- I uhh…" Jane mumbled, swaying into Stiles grip and forcing him to support her against his chest to keep her upright.

"Jane?!" Stiles asked, slightly frantic because _he has no idea how to deal with situations like these._

The situation just got worse though, when Jane let out a small moan and then went limp in his arms- a dead weight carrying him with her to the ground.

Stiles sat on the cement of the pathway- Jane's obviously unconscious body sprawled in his lap. His mind started franticly thinking- mostly _what do I do? What do I do? _Until he came to the only conclusion he could think of; he needed help.

Stiles reached into the pocket- moving Jane's cheek out of the way- and took out his Samsung, scrolling through the contact list until he found the name he needed.

It wasn't _ideal-_but desperate times called for desperate measures, and so he quickly, with only a moment's hesitation hit the call button and waited nervously.

It was answered quickly- only after three _'briing'_s and with a gruff "What?".

Stiles sighed, looking down at the unconscious Jane for a second, before he started speaking into the phone.

"Yeah hello, Derek? I think I may need your help."


	18. Chapter 18: What's up With Jane?

Chapter Eighteen:

"So is she gonna wake up anytime soon or…?" Isaac questioned from his position perched on the loft's window-side table.

Stiles looked up from the blue velvet couch where an unconscious Jane rested- and glared at the other teen.

"I don't _know _Isaac, because no-one is telling me what's going _on _with her." He hissed- turning his head to glare at Peter and Derek- who were both sitting on the spiral staircase in the shadowed corner like the weird creepers they were. He called Derek to help his friend- not for more confusion.

"I think it's a vampire bite- it looks like a vampire bite." Isaac offered _not _helpfully, swinging his legs back and forth on the table and picking at his nails. For a kid with known psychopathic tenancies- he was exceedingly innocent-looking.

"Nope. Not a vampire." Peter stated simply and somewhat smugly from his seat on the staircase. He stood up from his perch on the metal steps and walked down and over to where Jane and Stiles were resting- his hands were positioned in his jean pockets lazily. He looked at Jane curiously and with a cold- unsympathetic gaze- a twinkle in his eye that Stiles had learn to associate with _fun_. The things Peter Hale found fun were usually either horrific- or something to do with an embarrassed Derek; Stiles had learnt to accept this no matter how much it creeped him out.

"What do you mean? Why do you sound so sure?" Derek demanded, looking at his uncle from where he was still sitting at the bottom of dark staircase. His features were riddled with classic Derek Hale scrunchy-faced confusion, "_I _don't even knew what the Hell did this to her."

Peter rolled his blue eyes at his nephew, not bothering to look up from the calculating gaze that he held on Jane.

"Derek I am twelve years older than you and much more ruthless- I think I _probably _have a better grasp of things that go bump in the night."

Derek looked severely insulted, and Stiles was pretty sure if the dude actually was a wolf- his ears would be bent back in embarrassment. Aww, poor little alpha.

"And your _'better grasp'_ is telling you _what_ exactly?" Stiles asked, hoping for Peter to get to the _point. _He just wanted to know if this was something they could help…or if Jane was just gonna keep getting worse.

Peter smiled wickedly at Stiles- maintaining silent eye-contact for _way _too long. "It's telling me that it wasn't a vampire who did this to your friend." At that he shot a mocking look at Isaac. The boy blushed.

"Oh, and please tell us all how you came to this conclusion?" Stiles inquired, narrowing his eyes at the older male.

"Well for one thing- she's not completely out of blood." Peter stated in an off-hand sort of way, shrugging as he stepped closer to Stiles and the unconscious girl.

"When a vamp drinks from a live source- it _always _drains them. No matter what, if a vampire bites to drink- they kill every time." The pure _implications _of what Peter was saying…paired with the fact that Stiles had gone on a _date _with one of them, it made his gut churn.

"But uh, Toby" _god Stiles wished he isn't have to mention him_," He said that only the demon-vamp thingy's killed."

Peter raised his eyebrows, "Oh- is Toby that vampire friend of yours?"

Stiles could hear Derek's insulting huff coming from the corner. Dude still hadn't gotten over the vampire-werewolf rivalry huh?

"Well either way- he was right. And that just proves the point further that it wasn't a vamp…demon-vamps are kind of easily detectable, or at least their _aftermath_ is. They're kind of like omegas; zero class and all teeth." Peter stroked at his goatee thoughtfully- like some evil spy movie villain.

"Well- do you have any idea _what did_ do this? Because it certainly seems pretty sketchy." Stiles almost mumbled the words under his breath- his attention focused back on Jane, who looked sick and pasty.

"Well I do have _one _theory." Peter drawled, crossing the room to lean his back against a wooden beam connecting to the ceiling.

"And would you like the share with the rest of the class?" Derek hissed from the shadows, obviously having lost as much patience as Stiles had.

Isaac seemed content though- just watching things fold out…or actually he was looking at _Jane_- kinda creepily too.

"What is your girlfriend's sexual orientation?" Peter asked instead- ignoring Derek completely, he asked it like he was just asking for the weather forecast or something normal like that.

Stiles chose to ignore the _girlfriend _statement due to his utter shock.

Derek hid his face in his palms, shaking his head in the pure motion of '_why!?'_ - Like he was used to Peter's antics. Isaac looked _thoroughly _confused, looking from Peter, to Stiles to Derek with a lost-puppy expression that both he and Scott could do so well.

Stiles just…

"_What?" _that was really the only response he could muster up; as his brain had seemed to temporarily explode from the _randomness_ of such a question.

Because seriously, _what?!_

"It's simple Stiles. I asked what her sexual-orientation was. Does she like boys or girls or both? It's not that hard." Peter sighed; shaking his head back and forth mockingly like he was implying Stiles was massive levels of ignorant.

"I-uhh…boys?" Stiles was still confused and it didn't help that he seemed to be soaking up residual confusion from Isaac as well.

Peter raised an eyebrow at him, waving his hand in a 'go on' motion.

Stiles cleared his throat, looking down at the unconscious body of his friend, breathing steadily in and out like she was just in a deep sleep and hadn't passed out merely an hour ago.

"Yeah- I'm pretty sure she likes guys, you know since whenever a good-looking one comes into the cafe she'll start telling me in _detail _about the overly-sexual honeymoon night that they're eventually going to have together…" Stiles paused awkwardly, not _entirely _comfortable talking about this subject in front of three werewolves that he seldom got along with.

Derek looked up at Stiles after he had spoken, frowning at the teen and then at Jane.

"So yeah, she's straight…or you know- bi? Because there was this one point where she expressed her need to marry Emma Watson. But, you know- even the gayest man alive would want to marry Emma Watson, so I don't actually know whether or not that's a valid indicator of Jane's sexuality."

Peter was nodding in a calculating way- going back to thumbing at his beard like an evil mastermind.

"Why are you asking anyway?" Stiles narrowed his eyes at Peter, "Are you going to start _hitting on her_? Because while I can't vouch for her not liking elder men- I'm pretty sure she'd draw the line at mass-murderer."

Peter scoffed- mimicking a taken aback expression, hand raised dramatically over his heart.

"I would _never_." He gasped, faux shocked "I've only ever seen this young woman unconscious and ill, Stiles. What kind of deviant do you think I am?"

Stiles raised an eyebrow just as Derek snorted: "The kind that somehow came up with a plan to resurrect himself using a teenage girl, in case of death."

_OH BUUUUURN!_

Peter glared, "To be fair I picked her because she was a banshee- not because she was a high schooler."

Stiles sighed and rubbed at the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Are we actually going to get to the _point_ now? Because I'd really like to know what's wrong with Jane."

"Oh so your girlfriend is called Jane?" Peter asked sounding interested. Or at least as interested Peter Hale could get in something that didn't involve murder.

"Uh- yeah? And she's not my girlfriend. Now can you _please _help her? Otherwise I'm just going to leave and go to Deaton…as a matter of fact I probably should have called _him _in the first place- since none of you are being of any _use_." Stiles glared at Peter.

"She's not you girlfriend?" Derek asked, his eyebrows furrowed and calculating.

Why did he _care _anyway?

"Nope- we just work together at the café." Stiles stated bluntly and then turned back to Peter, "Now are you going to give me an answer or what?" he demanded.

Peter chuckled, "Oh alright." He sighed.

"So, I've come to the conclusion- with both the bite and what you told me about her recent down-trodden nature. I'm pretty sure we're dealing with an incubus."

Stiles frowned just as Isaac piped up, "Like the sex-demon?"

Peter looked absolutely _delighted _for some weird, sadistic reason.

"Yep like the sex demon." He stated happily, "Male sex demon to be specific, or I guess it could be a succubus depending on whether or not she's into women…Anyway, the information Stiles told us about how tired she's been lately- and with how sick she looks, it's not a hard conclusion to draw." Peter shrugged.

"Ahhh- so, like- what is happening and how do we fix it?" Stiles asked, not really sure how else to put it.

"Well incubuses usually visit someone in their sleep. Or really theirs sex dreams, and they feed off of the energy inside their victim. It usually only starts at about once a month- but it escalates until every time the victim sleeps- the demon will be there to claim its price. It's also kind of beneficial for the incubus in the fact that the more they drain the victim- the more the victim will need to sleep- and therefore it kind of just gets worse and worse until _BAM! _Coma. And then, maybe a few weeks after that the victim's heart will give out because of the _stress _of giving up so much power- after that the demon just moves on to another target and starts the whole process again."

Stiles considered what Peter had said for a few minutes and then pondered aloud; "How do you even know so much about sex demons anyway?"

_In all honestly_, Stiles thought_, Maybe it would be better off not knowing at all._

"I'm a _werewolf _Stiles- it's part of the job to keep knowledge of my supernatural brethren." Peter looked smugly across to his nephew, "But of course _Derek _here doesn't know anything- because he's basically shit at being a werewolf, even though he was born into it."

Derek's eyes flashed and he growled at his uncle threateningly- but other than that the insult didn't seem to mind him all that much. He was probably used to Peter's tenancies anyway.

"So, uh- if it is this…incubus, then how do we stop it?" Stiles queried- looking at Jane worriedly as he spoke. If Peter was right; then the girl wouldn't be able to take much more of this treatment.

"Oh no- getting rid of a sex demon is actually relatively easy." Peter stated.

"Annnnd?" Stiles urged, wondering if he kicked Peter in the balls maybe the man would stop being s vague.

"She basically just needs to bathe in a bunch of cleansing herbs and mountain ash- most of which I don't possess, but our lovely local veterinarian does."

Really, it was that easy?

"Deaton?" Stiles asked and Peter nodded.

Greeeeeat. If Stiles hated Peter for his vagueness- then the Obi-Wan style avoidance of _everything_ simply put that Dr. Alan Deaton had going on was sure to absolutely kill him.

But, he supposed, he had to help Jane out…even if that meant dealing with Scott's annoyingly roundabout boss.

_Super._


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen:

"So this is all we do, right? This is it?" Stiles asked looking down at Jane's submerged body.

As soon as the group had got the local veterinarians and explained everything to Deaton- the man had made a bath full of warm water, salts, herbs and mountain ash- making sure the wolves stayed at least three feet away due to the fumes the mountain ash in bath would make.

Jane had been unconscious and soaking in this bath for about fifteen minutes and Stiles was holding her head up from the water, because although they wanted to help her; they weren't really keen on drowning a nineteen year old barista.

The fumes were getting to Derek's head, and so was the fact that it was getting _really late_. Most of the time werewolves didn't really care about sleep deprivation; but Derek had been having late-nights the previous few days; investigating the _prolonged _and overly-cold weather.

Not many of the town residence had noticed the seemingly unending winter. It seemed like when something unexplainable happened around a human- they usually just ignored it, not bothering to challenge their own perceptions of life.

"Yes Stiles, we just have to wait it out." Deaton reassured from where he stood next to the teenager- looking down at the submerged girl with his typical calculating eyes.

Then, suddenly, Derek had a pressing thought.

"What about when she wakes up." He offered, not stating it like a question, but looking around for an answer anyways.

Stiles turned to look at him, "Ahhhh," the boy responded, his mouth handing open almost comically. Derek stared at it for a while, and then cleared his throat to distract himself.

"Because I hardly think someone would wake up in herb-infused water, in the local vet's office, at midnight without a little confusion." He continued and made sure to shoot Stiles one of his _'you're screwed Stilinski' _stares that he'd perfected over the time they'd known each other.

"I-ahh, haven't thought that far ahead?" Stiles' voice cracked and he winced as he was talking- looking down at his friend with a comically horrified expression.

"Well she could wake up in an hour- or she could wake up in a second. So you better start coming up with an explanation." Derek _tried _not to be like his uncle sometimes, he really did- but the panic on Stiles' face in that moment gave the alpha a feeling of sharp smugness.

"I-um. Well, we're going to have to tell her aren't we?" Stiles spoke up, looking at Derek earnestly and a tad bit worriedly.

"Tell her what? That she's the victim of an incubus? Because that is super believable Stiles." Derek rolled his eyes at the teen and crossed his arms leaning back casually and waiting for the inevitable argument top arise.

Stiles didn't argue like expected though, instead he came out with; "We'll…we could explain werewolves to her first- like Isaac could wolf out; only Isaac because both you and Peter are marginally more terrifying than Isaac, who looks like one of those cherub things with the wings and bows. So yeah, we give her proof of the supernatural and then…after a long and healthy freak-out, we'll tell her about the sex demon."

Stiles smiled around at them all, waiting for praise on his idea.

"You want to trust a teenage barista with a secret this big?" Derek asked sceptically, frowning at the boy.

It wasn't _like _Stiles to trust someone; Stiles never trusted anyone without getting to know them better; Derek had learnt that the hard way. Scott was the one who gave his trust to anyone and anything that asked for it because everyone knew that Scott was made of rainbows and puppies.

"Well what else are we gonna do?" Stiles snapped, "Besides _I _am a teenage barista too you dickwad."

"That really doesn't help your case Stiles." Derek sighed, vaguely aware of Deaton, Isaac and Peter watching as the conversation played out- all of them staying silent and tense.

Stiles glared at him, "Dude she won't tell! She's a _good person_. If you can trust Jackson Whittemore with this then Jane is pretty damn safe."

"Stiles just because you _think _she won't tell anyone…just- you could be wrong okay?" Derek tried to soften his face up a tad, knowing for a fact that sometimes he tensed and glared without meaning too and that it sometimes just made Stiles never listen to a word he said.

"Well what else are we going to do? Convince her I'm not a freak that kidnapped her and randomly put her in a _bathtub?!_ Do you not see how creepy this situation looks out of context Derek? _She could press charges_ and since the whole Jackson restraining order thing- I already have a criminal record. Do you want my dad to get fired again? _Is that what you want?_" Stiles' voice was just above a harsh whisper, but his words got across pretty damn clearly.

Either tell the girl about werewolves, or face getting Stiles into serious trouble.

Derek sighed, "How well is she going to handle it?" He asked, resisting the urge to hide his face in his hands and escape the world the way an ostrich would.

This was _another _teenager he was going to have to deal with. ANOTHER ONE. And he'll be damned if Peter wasn't enough to deal with on a regular basis.

Stiles looked taken-aback, blinking at Derek for a moment and then _outright grinning_.

"Oh Jane will love it. She loves everything that goes _bump_ in the night. She's planning on becoming a mythology/psych major once she saves up enough money anyway, so I'm pretty sure she'll be happy to know it's actually valid." Stiles looked fondly down at his still slumbering friend.

Derek frowned, "She's not one of those twilight fanatics is she? Because I don't know if I can tolerate that." Derek was dead serious. Three years after the fire Laura had come home _raving _about this movie her friend had just taken her to see; something about supernatural love and _"really hot actors Derek". _She'd gone so crazy that the next day she bought all the books- then proceeded to finish the series in a _week_. Derek had tried to see what the big deal was…but all he saw was an emotionally and somewhat physically abusive relationship between a boring high school girl and overly-emotional vampire.

Stiles shook his head frantically, "No, no, no! She got over that phase years ago!" Which didn't sound at all promising Derek.

"Just because she's interested in myths and legends doesn't mean that she won't give us up for a price." Peter butted in from the corner cabinets- being the first one since Stiles or Derek to talk for a while.

"No! She's totally loyal! Besides you guys can always heart-beat test her to see if she'll rat…and then if she will you can always take her memories? Right Peter?" Stiles looked up at the older Hale, oddly keen.

"I can definitely wipe her mind for you if needed Stiles." Peter smiled in that weird, creepy way that Derek had remembered all the way back to early childhood.

If not for the man being an uncle- Derek would have killed him for pure creepiness _alone_.

Just as Derek was contemplating ways to do that without the pesky man rising up again…There was a sharp inhale and then the tell-tale sounds of water being frantically splashed.

Jane had finally woken up.


	20. Her Life was About to Change

_Okay, so this is written in an OC perspective? So yeah._

_Anyway sorry for updating so inconsistently- I've had my nephews and my brother visiting for a few days and things have been hectic._  
**BEFORE YOU READ:**Remember that Jane is waking up in a BATHTUB in a strange place after she passed out on a side walk. Just think about how amazingly scary that would be.

Chapter Twenty:

_"What the FUCK Stiles!" _Jane screamed a towel wrapped around her wet body and her legs slowly stepping backwards- taking her into a corner and away from all the men in the room.

_Why_ had she woken up in a weird plant-filled bath? Well she had no clue, but she doubted the reason was a nice one. She also knew that she was in the freaking _vet's _place, because she'd taken her rabbit Nymph to Dr Deaton loads of times. And now the man was standing in the room with the other men- watching as she trembled and looked for escape.

"J-Jane just let us explain." Her friend Stiles pleaded, honey eyes wide and hands held up defensively- if somewhat shakily in panic.

"Explain what?!" Jane screeched pressing herself closer to the corner bench, "Explain that you kidnapped me?! And put me in a weird bath? _What kind of fetish creep are you?!_ I thought you were my friend!"

Jane was yelling for the pure reason that she knew there was no way of escape from these creeps- she was just one woman and there were five men, a majority of them muscular and tall (even the skinny-looking, hot, blonde one looked dangerous).

Oh god she was going to die! She never even said goodbye to her mum! Or Mrs Barker the Librarian. A-and the person who was going to kill her was _Stiles?_ She must have woken up in some weird alternate reality. Jesus.

And who were these guys with Stiles anyway? Besides from the tall, blonde one the rest looked too old for a seventeen year old to be hanging out with.

"Who the hell are these people Stiles?" She demanded. Might as well get some answers before she was murdered by a bunch of hot guys (and yes, _Okay_, she should probably not be judging the physical appearance of her to-be-killers- but it was kind of hard _not _to notice the general attractiveness of these men).

She looked around.

There was a tall, dark and genuinely _pissed looking _man brooding in the corner- stubble gracing his chiselled cheekbones and lips so pursed that the man was almost pouting. The guy closest to him was older, and had a light goatee that strangely reminded Jane of a Disney-villain. Next to the vet- Deaton- was an extremely tall blonde boy with curly hair and an awkward expression.

There was no way she could take them.

"Ah- they're my friends?" Stiles offered sheepishly, and just as Jane was opening her mouth to yell at the creep some more- he started speaking again. "Jane we aren't going to hurt you, and I _promise _you're here for a reason that doesn't involve any harm coming to you." Stiles looked desperate- his doe-eyes wide and frantic, his hands ticking and shaking like an addict on withdrawal.

Jane narrowed her eyes, "That's just what a killer would say." She told him, trying to stand up a bit taller in pride.

This was not happening. _No. Nope. _She was way too young to die and she hadn't even gone to ComiCon yet! And why was she even _thinking _about that? She was about to DIE!

In front of her Stiles groaned , like _he _was the one in an unlucky situation- yeah right!

"C-can I just talk- and I promise after I finish you'll understand?" Stiles asked, seemingly desperate.

Jane sighed, "Well it's not like I can go anywhere." She gestured to her cornered, trapped position in an angry swipe.

Stiles nodded sadly, and the rest of the men looked to him and waited, just like Jane was doing.

He fiddled, biting his lips and twining his long fingers around each other; a classic nervous Stiles trait. But what did he have to be nervous about compared to Jane? Sentenced to imprisonment for kidnapping and non-consensually bathing someone fully clothed? Ha! She was probably about to be _murdered_.

"So…you know how our small town has, like, an unbelievably high murder-rate for its population?" Her (probably former) friend asked.

It was true- for a small Californian town; they'd had more murders in the last couple of years than a small city would get in a decade. Jane had often discussed it with her Nana Joan, a woman who loved to read murder-mystery novels more than Stiles loved to eat curly-fries. Hell, even the FBI had shown up on two occasions for completely different cases. Heaps and heaps of residence had moved away; families with small children, teenagers who'd been friends with the murder victims, people who were just plain freaked out by the carnage. Even the _Whittemores _had moved away, a family that was basically known for being the bosses of Beacon Hills had ditched town and settled themselves _in another continent._

"What about the m-murders?" Jane asked Stiles. Her voice shook over the word 'murders' "Are you the guys who have been doing all this stuff? You won't get away with it you know."

Stiles looked shocked and waved his hands rapidly in the air, whilst the older blue-eyed man with the goatee behind him smirked.

"No. No nononono!" her co-worker exclaimed, "We're the good guys! We didn't kill any of those people" the teen shot a wary glance at the goatee man, wincing, "and we certainly _will not _hurt you Jane, I promise."

The kid looked desperate, sincere…but Jane had watched Criminal Minds before thank you very much, and she knew how well psychopaths could act.

"How about you prove it by letting me go?" She asked, not expecting them to let her go at all- but, hey, it's worth a try right?

Stiles grumbled; "UGH. We can't do that without explaining stuff to you, just-," he ran his hands through his messy, chocolate hair and took a deep, steadying breath-, "Okay, so- werewolves exist." He declared in a deadly serious voice.

Jane groaned, "Oh great- a serial killer _and _crazy, _just _my luck."

Stiles rolled his eyes and huffed, "Look, just- don't freak out okay?" he asked, and before Jane had enough time to process that order- Stiles turned and nodded at the cute blonde one- and then he OH HOLY SHIT FUCKINGSHITOHMYGOD! He just started _growing fangs_ and his pretty blue eyes turned bright gold and _what!?_

Jane thought she was going crazy as she watched the boy's ears elongate and grow pointy on the end. As she watched claws spout from his fingers and course hair rapidly grow on his jawline.

_Werewolf._

Impossible. Absolutely impossible. It just- it _couldn't _be real- just-

"No, no way." Jane muttered, her eyes wide and her legs trembling. It took the same about of time for the boy to change back to _a boy_, as it did for her legs to give out and her body to crumple to the floor.

Stiles immediately rushed up to help her- but she barely noticed him, too caught up in the sudden _complete change _in everything she knew.

"Wh-_what?_" She muttered numbly- shaking. Her thoughts weren't working right, her brain having been completely sizzled- not really doing anything much other than replaying the image of _werewolf _in her head.

"Werewolves." she mumbled, feeling crazy for even saying it.

"Yeah werewolves." Stiles agreed softly, kneeling down beside her, "But don't worry- these ones are friendly and they won't hurt you." He reassured.

Well- Jane actually hadn't thought about that yet, but now that Stiles _mentioned it_!

"Holy shit." She was just- she- "_Holy _shit. Holy FREAKING shit!"

"Jane? Jane! Calm down okay, I need you to listen to me, yeah?" Stiles urged, placing his long fingers on her shoulders and rubbing soothing circles.

She breathed, in and out- trying _desperately _to shut her brain off from the CGI-like transformation she just witnessed.

She nodded after a few moments of deep breathing- indicating to Stiles that he could continue with whatever he wanted to say.

"So like I said," he began, "all those murders? And animal attacks? Werewolves."

Jane felt her heart leap- but before she could freak out any further, Stiles continued quickly; "But don't worry! All the baddies are taken care of! Hasn't been a murder in two months! Isn't that great?"

Yeah. Awsome.

Jane stayed quiet- looking at the linoleum ground in shock.

"So ah, you've been sick lately right? Really tired without any explanation? Having some-ah- confusing dreams?" Jane snapped her head up at that. _No one _knew about the dreams she was having; the constant, murky visions of some _guy _and her. The cloudy, heady, daze that always left her waking up exhausted- but oddly apathetic.

"How do you _know _about that?" Jane asked accusingly, looking up at her co-worker in shock.

"Ah, you see," Stiles scratched at his chin- a habit of his Jane noticed he did regularly, "There's this supernatural creature- and we've proven those exist thanks to Isaac's lovely and helpful demonstration-," Stiles nodded his head back at the curly-headed cutie. Huh- his name was _Isaac_.

"So yeah, um- you've been sick lately because a sex-demon had been invading your dreams and slowly putting you into a coma?" Jane saw Stiles wince at his wording, but after that she just basically stopped _everything_ and was silent; knowing that if she started thinking about all of this at once, her head would combust.

"A…sex demon." She deadpanned, looking around past Stiles and at the other men, wondering if they were confused by this as well. But no. The stubbly guy looked menacing, but incredibly serious. The dark-skinned vet looked sympathetic, but calculating. The goatee guy looked absolutely _amused_, which Jane was confused about, and the blonde teenager looked worried and fidgety.

"Yeah a sex demon!" Stiles exclaimed, drawing her attention back onto him, "But don't worry- we got rid of it. That was what the bath was for."

Well- this was certainly a more complex reason for waking up like she had. Jane actually didn't know if she would prefer this- or the serial killer/kidnapper Stiles theory that had just been smashed to pieces and rearranged back into a very wolfy shape.

It was- her _world_ was different now. It just- the freaking _notion _that something so impossible existed…and probably more impossible things too.

Jane knew she should be scared…overwhelmed by the revelation. But all she was; was excited.

"Tell me everything." She said- looking Stiles dead in the eye- seriousness coursing through her voice.

Her life was about to change.


	21. Chapter 21: Winter

Chapter Twenty-One:

You know what Stiles hated? Awkward situations. That is why Scott McCall now owed him _at least _four servings curly-fries and possibly a DVD marathon of Stiles' choice.

For some reason, the trusting and adorable fool that was Scott, had agreed to a meet up at _Derek's loft _to discuss whatever the Hell Derek had asked them there for.

Stiles, as per his promise to keep her in the loop, had brought his friend Jane a long to view the proceedings.

As soon as the group of three arrived at the loft- Jane ran up to take her place sitting beside Isaac on the blue velvet couch. After Jane had become _aware, _she and Isaac had been…_flirting_? Well, technically it was just longing glances and shared giggles- but Stiles could tell that they had another "Scott and Allison" situation arising. Jane had even dressed in what she'd told Stiles was her 'boy fishing' outfit- a short flowy white dress with a tight waist. It wasn't like she needed to wear anything to impress the beta though-he was already pretty damned hooked.

"So why are we here?" Stiles asked, sitting cross-legged and leaning against a post across from Jane and Isaac. He fiddled with the ends of his blue hoodie- trying desperately not to look at the 'lovey-dovey' situation his friends seemed to be in.

Scott was sitting happily on the wooden table in the corner, swinging his legs back and forth and looking at Jane and Isaac proudly. Scott had always had a kind of 'older brother' thing going on with Isaac. At the start Stiles had been jealous of it- but soon he realised that he preferred Scott as a dopey best-friend, rather than the mentor that Isaac had.

"We have some issues to discuss." Derek announced, answering the teen's previous question. He was standing right next to Stiles, creepily staring down. The teen shifted uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny of those rainbow eyes. Derek had always made him kind of nervous, at first it was because Stiles was shit scared of him, but _now_ the nerves were caused by something that wasn't entirely fear.

Stiles hadn't seen Derek for a few days, not since the incubus thing, where they'd parted with a barely-said 'see-ya'. It wasn't like he and Scott were actually very social with Derek- they only really got together with him to fight the supernatural and to plan about fighting the supernatural.

Peter, another man they rarely (and would be happy to keep it that way) saw, was leaning against a wall in a shadowed corner as per his need to be completely shady and villainous whenever there were innocent teenagers around to scare.

Dude wouldn't be so dramatic and smug if he knew the revenge plan Lydia had been cooking up against him. Stiles smiled evilly just thinking about it- earning a raised eyebrow from Derek in questioning.

"So these issues that need discussing?" Stiles prompted, looking at Derek with a big dopey grin on his face- as people's happiness seemed to creep the man out.

Derek coughed awkwardly, "Ahh- yeah, so I've set up this meeting to talk about a new supernatural threat that's entered Beacon Hills."

Scott and Stiles groaned simultaneously.

"Oh my god, can this town _seriously _catch a break already?" Scott whined, rolling his head towards the sky like he was asking the heavens "_why have you done this to us?!"_

Derek rolled his eyes at Scott's dramatics and said; "Maybe it would catch a break if you, your girlfriend and Stiles hadn't killed yourselves and basically ignited a giant sign saying "Hey all creatures of the night, Beacon Hills is a great place to visit""

Stiles, although what Derek had said could be considered an insult towards him, snorted. He'd tried to explain to Scott that Derek was probably one of the funniest guys they'd ever met- but Scott had never believed him, obviously having never picked up on all the sassy side remarks the Alpha had dished out.

"So what's the supernatural thing invading town _this _time?" Scott asked, glaring pouty at Derek for his snark. Scott McCall couldn't glare- that had been proven that time they were in the elevator with Jennifer and Scott's bitchface had looked so damn sassy that it was kind of hilarious.

"Winter spirit." Derek stated simply, almost nonchalant, like he was totally used to all of this supernatural crap…and if Stiles thought about it, he kind of _was_.

"A…winter spirit?" Jane asked, raising an eyebrow at the Alpha.

"Oh- like Jack Frost?" Isaac pipes up, raising his un-even eyebrows in excitement.

"Not unless Jack Frost plans on slowly freezing an entire town to death." Derek deadpanned, staring unimpressed at his beta.

"Oh- that probably wouldn't make a great kid's movie…" Isaac mumbled, smiling smugly when Jane giggled.

Derek sighed, rolling his eyes. "A vengeful winter spirit." He said, "Probably died in snow or ice when it was human, and now just goes around freezing gatherings of people to death so that they die in the same pain."

Jane gulped and huddled closer into Isaac.

"Is that why it's snowing? Because I tell you what- it _never _freaking snows in Beacon Hills- and the small time it does it's just piddly little clumps of ugly ice that vanish after a few seconds. Right now though? It's like our own personal winter wonderland." Stiles complained, shivering a tad to add effect.

"Yeah, if winter wonderlands come with blizzard warnings." Peter snorted.

It was true, the past few days the local weather had been warning occupants of Beacon Hills and surrounding areas of a freaking _blizzard_- saying it was just some weird weather phenomenon and that everyone should rejoice over the random scientific awesomeness that is a snow storm.

"So how do you guys _know _it's a winter spirit? Are you just guessing? Do those things even exist?" Stiles questioned, looking up at Derek incredulously.

"We _know," _Derek started, holding eye-contact in a challenging glare, "Because two nights ago I had to drag Peter off somewhere to defrost after he encountered one on the preserve."

Peter groaned, "Do you know how long frostbite takes to heal? _Hours_. Painful, painful hours."

Stiles shot him a judging look, "You do realise humans can _die _from frostbite? And often lose their limbs as a result?"

Peter shrugged in reply.

"Ugh. So what are we going to do about this? You know, before the whole town freezes to death?" Stiles directed the question towards Derek, already having had enough of the elder Hale.

"We're going to kill it."

"_Why_ does everything end with murder?" Scott muttered angrily, and Stiles threw him a pitying look.

"In this case it's because these things are pure evil without souls or a brain and the only real thing they accomplish in their un-dead life is to freeze colonies of people to death." Derek deadpanned, looking at Scott like he was an utter idiot.

Derek and Scott had often disagreed on the whole 'killing things' movement- Scott believing Derek to be a 'trigger happy asshole' and Derek believing Scott to be a 'naïve child who thinks he lives in a Disney film'."

"So uh, how do we kill it anyway?" Isaac asked, looking warily toward Scott like he was afraid the boy would disapprove.

"Fire. The only way to kill these things is to burn them to death." Peter announced.

Stiles frowned. "But if it's creating all of these winds, and causing all of this snow…how do you actually expect to get a fire close enough to it without the flames going out?"

Peter smiled- one of his 'I'm a crazy freak' smiles, "Molotov cocktails."

"_Molotov cocktails_?" Scott repeated, his judging tone leaking through as he stared at Peter.

"Peter is very adverse at making them." Derek nodded, "and it's not like you can really judge Scott- when two of your closest friends also know how." He was talking about him and Lydia, Stiles realised.

"Didn't Peter die last year when you guys burnt him alive via _Molotov cocktails?" _Isaac offered up- ever ignorant to the social convention of _not bringing awkward things up._

"Yes Isaac, thank you ever so much for reminding me." Peter sighed, pinching his brow in annoyance.

"We're going to have to split up, search Beacon Hills for trails- going to the most suspicious places, like where Peter spotted it on the preserve and that place on the other side of town where that dog was found frozen." Derek announced.

"A _dog _was found frozen?" Jane asked her voice high and tight. Jane loved animals- a bird had once flown into the café window and broken its own neck, she'd cried for _ages_ and then forced Stiles to help burry it and make a mourning shroud. Stiles hoped to god she wouldn't start going all crazy over frozen animals.

"Okay, so who's going where?" Stiles asked, looking up at Derek where he was _still _standing above him.

"Scott, Isaac and Jane can go to the 'frozen dog' site." Derek started, "And then you, Peter and-"

"Wait, wait, wait! Why do I have to go with the creepy ones?" Stiles complained, looking around the loft at every one.

"The _creepy ones_?" Peter repeated, sounding heavily insulted.

"Do you honestly expect Isaac and Jane _not _to go together?" The teens blushed, "And should we really expect Jane's first time out in the world to be with Peter? And you can't put Scott and Peter together in the same car, because we all know how much Peter likes to antagonise him." Derek had a point there.

"So basically I'm the one who's going to suffer the _least _going with you and Peter?" Stiles questioned, giving Derek and ultimate bitchface.

"Yep." Derek responded with a sarcastically cheerful grin.

"Ugh- which part of the preserve are we even _going _to?" Stiles whined- fiddling with the Camaro's stereo, searching for something to annoy Derek with.

"Stiles- just shut up and let me drive." Derek muttered, slapping his hands away.

Stiles immediately put them back up.

"So Stiles," Peter drawled from the back- resting his elbows on the back of Stiles' seat, "How goes that bestiary you've been writing?"

Stiles didn't _entirely _feel comfortable with Peter behind him.

"It's been okay?" Stiles replied, not sure why he even had to hold conversation with a man he had helped kill.

"Have you got much information in it yet? How many creatures have you actually encountered enough to write about?" Peter pushed.

"Oh- I um, have an extensive werewolf section? And Holly- that's the were-coyote from school, Derek's met her, her and her family have demonstrated and given me some pretty good points on that species." Stiles fiddled with the stereo- till he finally found a song that would drive Derek mad.

_"What's love got to do with it, got to do with it?"_

_"What's looove but a-"_

"No." Derek grunted, slamming his hand down on the controls- turning off the music.

"_Oh come on! _It's a classic man!" Stiles grinned. He could hear Peter chuckling in the back.

"No distractions while I'm driving." Derek gritted out, smacking the back of Stiles' head for good measure. Just like the good old times.

"Any other creatures?" Peter asked, drawing Stiles away from glaring at the Alpha.

"What? Um…oh. I met some fae in the woods? Yeah- they even wrote their own little sections for me, though Odette's was rather…violent. And um- I tried to write a bit on the incubi thing? But since I haven't actually _met one _and have only seen the outcome on its victims…I didn't have much to write."

Stiles tried reaching towards the radio again- but Derek beat him to it, punching him painfully in the hand.

"You convinced the fae to help you? That's a very honourable feat Stiles. And what about that Vampire friend of yours…_Toby_?" Peter asked, and Stiles could _hear _the hidden question behind his words.

"Uh- Yep. He gave me some info and stuff." Stiles didn't really want to explain further- especially not to Peter Hale.

"And how's he doing these days? The boy certainly seemed smitten that night we saw him in the woods." Stiles could see Peter leering in the rear-view mirror- but it wasn't at _him_ it was at Derek?

Derek, who was watching the road, and gripping the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turning white, was blatantly ignoring Peter.

"Oh- Toby and I…we kind of parted ways on bad terms? So I actually have no idea 'how he's going these days', since I haven't actually seen him in a while." Stiles answered uncomfortably.

"Oh, why did you part on bad terms?" Peter asked faux-innocently.

"I really don't think that's any of your business Peter." Stiles grinded out. Turning to Derek he asked; "Are we there yet?"

Derek shook his head, "We're still in town Stiles- the preserve isn't too far though."

_Great._

"Can you at least tell me why I overheard Scott telling Isaac all about _"That vampire bastard," _and how he was going to _"rip the face off of that asshole", _hmm?" Peter inquired, his voice as shit-eating and annoying as ever.

"Peter I will repeat- that is none of your business." Stiles snapped.

"Fine," Peter sulked, "But don't think I won't find out."

"Fine." Stiles snapped back.

Derek huffed and kept on driving.

"Wait, why is Peter getting out here? Not that I'm complaining of course." Stiles asked, eyeing the edge of the trees that Peter was about to disappear into.

"Well Stiles- you and Derek are going to check the place where we saw the spirit, and I'm going to check the perimeter of the woods in case I can find its hideout or something." Peter drawled, and with that he was off- out of the car and running through the woods- a bag full of explosives on his back.

"Should he be running with those?" Stiles asked Derek as the man shifted the car out of park and started driving them along the track running through the preserve.

Derek shrugged, "We're in a car full of them on a bumpy and pot-hole filled road, he has as much chance of blowing up as we do."

Stiles sat there, his mouth opened wide in disbelief, "You know, that's not exactly reassuring."

Derek shrugged- his attention turned onto his driving.

Stiles reached to turn up the heat- shivering from the cold. He was wearing _layers _upon layers of warm clothing, but somehow the air still seemed to be getting to him- damned winter sprit.

"You're cold." Derek stated, looking at the small bumps raising their way onto Stiles' pale skin.

_"No! _Really?" Stiles exhaled, rolling his eyes, "In case you haven't noticed Mr 'I'm a werewolf with infinite comfortable boy heat'- humans get cold when there's a supernatural monster trying to _freeze their town to death._"

Derek's jaw clenched, "There's a blanket under the seat- use it." He commanded, making it sound almost painful to offer up helpful information.

"Thanks." Stiles muttered, reaching under his seat to grasp at a thick, grey, woollen blanket.

They'd both stopped talking- so Stiles entertained himself by looking out the frosty window at the trees flying past.

It was all white, just plain snow, snow, snow until…something black? Definitely something black, human sized and blurring in motion. Stiles couldn't see all that clearly-but it vaguely looked like it had two orbs of burning blue on its face; like aquamarine eyes. Wait, it was running alongside the car- _actually keeping up with the car_?! Okay that was a bit suspicious.

"Derek- I think there's so-," Stiles started to warn-but before he could there was a dark blur passing over the windshield and suddenly everything was _spinning._

It happened in a blink of an eye. One second the car was upright and driving- the next they were spinning out of control- over and over in a loud, nauseating crash. The crunch of metal and the pain in his head alerted Stiles immediately; _we're crashing_. There were Molotov cocktails in this car. _Shit._

Then, more pain in his head, his arm, his legs, chest…pretty much everywhere and Stiles couldn't notice them all because all of a sudden his brain had turned to mush.

Then they were upside down- Stiles vaguely hearing the sound of Derek shouting- feeling the warm, wet slide of something dribbling down his chin. Hands were pushing at him…unbuckling him? Yeah. And pulling him upright and out of the car- holding him up from the cold, wet snow. Wind whistled in his ears and cold bit at his skin. He was in so much pain.

There was shouting- someone was shaking him, trying to wake him up or something. He couldn't though- he could barely open his eyes, when he did all he could see was the icy whiteness of the forest snow.

Then there was a shape- that same black shape with the bright blue eyes.

More yelling, the person holding him ducking and fumbling for something…then _CRASH-BOOM! _The sound of shattering glass and billowing fire. Then the white gave way to oranges and yellows flashing and dancing so prettily.

He was so _cold _but he could feel the burn of flames close by.

Then they were moving- the person holding him having picked him up…they were running, his head going murky and dizzy- shivering with the cold as the harsh wind rushed by, freezing his ears and fingers.

He could vaguely hear someone yelling his name through the wind- but he couldn't open his eyes up anymore to see who it was.

The last thing his brain registered was the burning cold he could feel throughout his entire body.


	22. Chapter 22: Nothing More

Chapter Twenty-Two

Thank God the council hadn't had the mind to shut off the heating and plumbing to the house yet.

The bath was dusty- but cleanliness wasn't what he was going for when Derek filled it with hot water. The Alpha wasn't really adverse in the ways of human health- but he figured he better not make the water boiling hot, because throwing a completely freezing body into scalding water would probably have negative side effects.

As the water was rising slowly, _too slowly dammit_- Derek hurried to undress the unconscious boy. Stiles was so _cold_, his lips blue, face deathly pale and heart-rate slow. It scared Derek, knowing how fragile and close to death the human was. He always _would _be fragile, always needing to look out for danger, the slightest thing being able to kill a human like him. The alpha didn't like it- but everyone had come to the conclusion that Stiles was to remain human- to remain in danger. The boy wasn't weak though, he'd never be _weak, _not personality-wise at least_._

Derek didn't know what to do other than what he'd seen on TV and read in books- in this case all he could think of was getting the boy's body- temperature up with a warm bath. He didn't even know if that would work- but he had to do _something_, Stiles heart rate just kept going down, his body too frozen to even shiver.

He also suspected that Stiles had either fractured, or thoroughly sprained his left leg (due to the slowly appearing and quite horrifying bruises) and along with the many cuts and abrasions left over from the shattered windscreen glass the boy would be in a lot of pain when he woke up.

Derek's mind was travelling elsewhere as he lowered the icy, boxer-clad boy into the water.

How did they end up like this? It had just happened so _fast._ The windscreen went black, he couldn't see _anything_ and then…well before he knew it the car was upside down and he was dragging a bleeding and half-conscious Stiles out into the snow- hoping to god that the Molotov cocktails wouldn't explode from the crash.

Then there was that _thing_- that black cloaked creature taller than any man Derek had ever seen. Eyes like small burning blue orbs and face hidden in darkness.

The thing, most likely the winter spirit that Peter had encountered, was _cold; _the air around it turning frosty with ice and Derek could already feel himself shivering after a second in its presence. Born-Werewolves were extremely versatile when it came to seasons- their higher temperature burning away even in the coldness of snow and ice. If _Derek _was shivering near this creature, a thing he'd only ever done as a small child, then he knew he had to get Stiles away from it.

Derek had done the only thing he could think of- reaching through a broken window of the Camero he pulled out a stoppered bottle of explosive, and threw it at the creature.

After that he ran- holding Stiles in a bridal carry and not looking back.

He ran and ran, panting with excitement and fear. Knowing the woods like the back of his hand he followed the smell of rot and ash to the Hale House, crashing through the door and running upstairs to the bathroom- knowing he had to get Stiles warm quickly.

That left him where he was now- watching as a limp Stiles lay in the slowly filling tub- listening to his hear and holding the boy's head up so that he didn't slump under the water.

He looked dead and limp. His face pale and lips blue, eyes bruised a dark purple- standing contrast to the paleness of his flesh. It pained Derek to see Stiles like that, such a vibrant teenager; constantly moving and fidgeting- now deathly still, breath coming out shallow and heartbeat barely there. It was like a nightmare come true.

Derek watched, looking the boy up and down for any more apparent injuries. He knew that it wasn't an opportunity to _look _at Stiles- but he did it anyway; taking in the surprisingly broad shoulders, softly defined stomach muscles, chest hairy and not as flat as Derek would have imagined legs long and stomach spotted with small brown freckles.

Derek sighed sadly, Stiles wasn't waking up- no matter how many times he shook him, Stiles just wouldn't _wake_.

Derek honestly didn't know if it was a good or bad thing- but Stiles' heart-beat finally picked up. After a few minutes in the tub, his skin turned slowly from the almost-blue hue to a pale pink.

After a short while the boy finally started shivering _violently_, and Derek decided it was time to get him out of the tub.

Despite Derek's supernatural strength- lifting a slippery, shivering teenage boy out of a bath tub was incredibly awkward and definitely _not _a dry experience.

With a muttered, "Damn it." Derek quickly wrapped Stiles in a few towels left over from the move- and carried him downstairs to the dusty sofa in front of the fireplace.

Derek had _never _lit that fireplace in the months he'd been again-living there, but this was kind of a desperate situation, and so he swallowed down the _wrongness _of lighting another fire at the house, and with a leftover pile of logs, some matches and tinder- Derek got the fire slowly flickering to life.

He then went to the sooty hallway cupboard and pulled out some moth-bitten blankets, taking them over to Stiles and draping the shivering boy with as many as possible.

Stiles' heart rate and skin colour were both still dangerously abnormal- and Derek had seen enough of Isaac's daytime dramas to know what to do next.

Grumbling under his breath, the Alpha slipped his clothes off- the buckle of his belt making a distinct clink against the floor- adding a clattering noise to the otherwise whispery atmosphere, crackling fire the only other thing breaking up the eerie silence.

He then slightly shoved the boy's covers aside, moving to slip behind the shivering body- pressing his own warm chest into Stiles' chilly back.

Derek tried not to think of the intimacy of the situation, laying on a couch in winter and spooning in front of a wood fire. It was a situation Derek would have _wanted _with Stiles- and if it weren't for the boy's sickly state Derek may have been almost _pleased_.

He ran his hands up and down the boy's arms- feeling the surprising definition curving his cold skin.

Both Derek and Stiles' phones had been lost in the crash, and Derek was completely unsure when the harsh winter weather would decrease enough for him to move the vulnerable human from his house.

Snuggling his face into Stiles' neck, Derek sighed- breathing in the smell of ash, dirt and _Stiles._

It was unlikely that Stiles would wake up soon; it was also just as unlikely that Derek could move away for a while either. So, with that thought in mind- Derek moved the covers closer over both of them, and fell asleep, clinging Stiles tightly to his chest.

When Derek woke it was the feeling to Stiles turning in his arms. The boy was still fast asleep- but he had gained some colour in his cheeks and his shivering was almost non-existent. Stiles had turned himself in his sleep- now facing the sealing- his side touching Derek's chest.

Derek sighed in relief and took his chance, now that the worry had dissipated- to just lie contentedly and study the boy. He doubted it would last very long- as soon as Stiles woke up he'd be embarrassed and undoubtedly keen to _not _be cuddled up to an Alpha werewolf. Derek felt a tightening in his chest when he realised that this was probably the last time he'd ever get a chance to be so _close _to Stiles- a closeness he'd been craving for over a month now. He just wished it was under willing and happy circumstances- rather than a forced hypothermia-warding, heat-sharing snuggle.

He'd been really _worried_- a thing he hadn't felt since Cora left for New-York on a 'self-soul-search' as she called it weeks ago. Stiles could have died- in fact while the fear of him dying was still there, Derek had almost succumbed to panicking like a mad-man.

He was supposed to be a cool, collected Alpha but so far he'd stuffed up that pretty bad; Boyd and Erica were dead, the first person he'd ever bitten turned into a _homicidal lizard_, his only sister couldn't _wait _to run off and his only beta remaining was more loyal and admiring to another Alpha- freaking Scott McCall.

Sometimes Derek wished he was more like Scott- trustworthy and someone people could _turn to _when things went wrong. Someone Stiles could turn to without being in a situation of utter desperation, someone who was strong enough not to need Peter, not to have to depend on others.

Everyone assumed Derek Hale was some kind of recluse loner- but the truth was he _needed _people; that's why he'd bitten Isaac, Erica and Boyd- not only as soldiers in the fight against the Alpha Pack, but also as a new family. Hell, he'd even taken a sort of companionship with Scott and Stiles- two idiot teenage boys who had absolutely _no _self-preservation.

He wanted a family again- but so far every suitable candidate he came across he just pushed away.

He would stop though. Derek would start _living_, start creating bonds, having friends and allies.

Derek frowned and looked down at the sleeping boy next to him, studying the lax, pale face for a moment. This was someone he should treat better; show his appreciation with something other than fighting side-by-side.

He would- he would show everyone the alpha he could be.

Looking down at Stiles, Derek took a chance. The boy was still asleep and Derek just wanted to, just _once _see what it was like.

With massive amounts of hesitation- the man leaned in and slowly, softly, pressed his lips to the sleeping boy's- a small caress and nothing more.

It would _never _be anything more.


	23. Chapter 23: Winter is Coming

Chapter twenty-three:

When Stiles woke up it was surrounded, enveloped in heavy warmth. He felt something running through his hair lazily…fingers? Yeah, there was definitely someone running their fingers through his hair. There was a steady pressure under his arms too; almost like he was…hugging someone? Yeah.

So, there was hugging. How did that happen again? He couldn't really remember much.

There…was fire? And-and that monster with the eyes! Someone- someone helped him though…now who…nope no clue. His brain was still half fuzzy.

Stiles sighed. His entire body felt like really, really sore jelly; weak and stretched.

Too tired to really think Stiles just burrowed his head into the warm, flat surface in front of him- feeling it stiffen as soon as he did so, and the fingers in his hair stopping.

"Stiles." He heard the person he was snuggling say. WAIT. That voice…

"MM- De'rk?" Stiles blinked, opening his eyes for the first time since he'd woken up.

"Stiles." Derek acknowledged from above him, and that was when Stiles realised that not only was he _cuddling _Derek Hale- he was cuddling Derek Hales' waist.

As in Stiles' head was rather close to _that region_ and his arms were around the man's thighs, his skin stuck to the fabric of the jeans. Wow. Awkward.

"Was' goin' on?" Stiles mumbled, trying to detach himself from Derek as dignified and subtly as possible. It was probably one of the more embarrassing things in life; being found cuddle-attacking a man he'd repeatedly voiced his vehemence for.

He was now on the cold, ashen floor, blankets piled around him as he looked up at Derek still lying awkwardly on the couch. He had no idea how he'd managed to get away with it though; why didn't Derek punch him or something when the hugging started?

"The winter spirit must have caught us while we were driving- we crashed." Derek stated, looking down at Stiles and probably judging him for the way he was messily sprawled on the floor.

Well then! Stiles looked at him judgingly right back…only to notice that the man was rather…lacking in the clothes department. Oh, well would you look at that- so was he. This was an interesting turn of events.

Stiles swallowed, "Y-Yeah, I remember the crashing part."

"Do you remember the part where it pretty much almost froze you?" Derek gritted out, frowning down at him. He sounded angry, but Stiles didn't really put any mind to that; not since angry was basically Derek Hales' perpetual state.

"Uh…N-no I might have missed that part?" he tried smiling unconvincingly, "It went a little hazy there actually- but I do remember something really hot. Like…flames. Did your car blow up? That sucks bro."

"Don't call me bro." Derek sighed, rubbing his hands through his sleep ruffled hair; causing Stiles to realise that he basically just slept with Derek Hale.

"And no- my car didn't blow up, it just rolled a few times and crashed. Perfectly fine." Derek deadpanned; heavy with sarcasm.

"The heat was from a Molotov cocktail." Stiles raised his eyebrows, "I pulled one out to throw at the spirit since it was pretty much killing you with cold and even though I'm a werewolf it probably would have killed me too after a while." Derek sighed, "I'm actually pretty surprised that the car _didn't _blow up- what with the amount of explosives we had in it."

Stiles stared at him, completely in awe. And stared some more just to make sure.

"What?" Derek snapped crossing his arms childishly with an _almost-_pout, because Derek Hale would never truly pout would he now?

"That was the most I've ever heard you say…like _ever_." Stiles breathed, his face as shocked as he was able to get it. And yes, Stiles _was _shocked; because Derek never really talked much around him (but he may have also been putting it on just a _bit- _just to make fun of the man).

Derek just rolled his eyes and asked; "How you feeling?"

How was he feeling what? Oh, right- the almost freezing to death thing.

"Like I've been stretched out by a steamroller and hung up to dry." Stiles grimaced, gingerly stretching his sore, weakened arms.

Derek didn't say anything, instead frowning and standing up from the couch (the movement showed off _a lot _of his body what with him only wearing a pair of snug black briefs) to go and walk to a nearby window.

"It's snowing." The alpha said in his typical frowny voice.

"Uh _yeah_- it's been snowing for the past few days dude." Stiles muttered back, wrapping himself in the blankets a little tighter because it was _cold _dammit.

"No I mean it's _snowing- _like a snow storm." Derek shot back, still staring out the window and frowning, "I think we must've pissed that spirit off a bit and now that we've gotten away it's probably trying to just freeze the whole area down and wait for us to die of hypothermia."

Stiles gulped, "Does that mean we're gonna die? Because that ain't the greatest thing I've heard."

Derek shook his head, "No," he said, "We're not going to die. Winter Spirits are basic creatures- they wouldn't even take shelter into account…or fire. They'd just expect any of their prey to be out in the open with nothing to keep them warm. We have blankets, fire, shelter, combined body heat…"

"Comb-_Combined body heat?_" Stiles would admit that his voice was a _tad _high when he spoke.

"Yes Stiles. How did you think I kept you from dying? By praying to my werewolf god?" Derek drawled sarcastically. And there he was again; showing humour! Dude was always sarcastic- why didn't anyone but Stiles notice that!

"Do you _have _a werewolf god?" Stiles raised both eyebrows and shot out a shit-eating grin.

"Ugh. I can't believe I have to be stuck in here with _you_ for an indeterminate amount of time." Derek complained, moving over from the window and plopping back down on the couch.

"Could be worse. Could be your Uncle…or you could be stuck with Jane and Isaac whine they're still in their 'I like you do you like me' phase." Stiles shrugged.

Derek ignored him and said; "You know…there isn't any food in this house- eventually I'm going to get hungry." He _leered _at Stiles, "Did you know starving wolves can take down a human if necessary?"

"You're not funny Derek." Stiles grumbled.

Derek smirked, "I'm hilarious." He said.


End file.
